We Could Be Heroes by Philip Ellis

We Could Be Heroes is about Will, a British bookseller and sometimes drag queen, and Patrick, leading actor in a superhero movie with a well known fandom. Patrick is looking for a very rare, perhaps nonexistent, copy of a comic of the superhero he portrays and he enlists Will to help him find a copy. Meanwhile, in 1950, Charles is writing a comic series about a superhero with his wife Iris, but Charles and Iris are just acting as each other’s beards while they pursue their own romantic entanglements outside of their marriage.

The English copy mentions the dual timeline. The US copy does not. It’s not a huge deal, I just think it should. Anyways.

I’ve seen this marketed as a rom-com, and the summary says it’s “uproarious,” but it’s actually pretty serious and though I read 45% of this book, I didn’t actually get any romcom vibes. Admittedly, my sense of humor is pretty specific, so like, maybe it’s just me.

Mostly, I was just bored by this. The writing is fine. The characters are fine. The plot is fine. It’s all just fine. Patrick is being put under pressure by his agent to stay closeted because she says that he “might be a role model but only for about five people, because [he would] never get booked for anything bigger than network.” Point of note: his agent is in a queer relationship herself, so I flipped through the book to see if she gets her due for this, and …. results are inconclusive. Someone who knows, message me.

At any rate, I don’t care for the “we have to keep this a secret” plot line at 33%. I also really don’t care at all for the 1950’s timeline, which feels super on the nose, and you can 100% see where that plot line begins to intersect with the “today” timeline. (“Wow, the illustrator was gay like me too!”) This entire book is just so on the nose, I would be shocked if at some point, there’s not an analogy about how being a drag queen or an actor is an metaphor for being in the closet ie. “it’s a show you put in for the world, but you hide the truth inside,” or something, idk. Anyways, this is… fine.

Thanks to NG and Penguin Group for a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

We Could Be Heroes follows the star of a popular comic book movie as he navigates fame and coming out, as well as his romance with a drag queen he met while filming. The novel is told in dual POV between the two of them.

I liked the commentary this book had on CBM (comic book movie) fanbases, like when Audra, another star, criticizes the fans for their expectations of actors. That theme runs deep, especially as fame plays a huge role in Patrick’s arc. Patrick and Will have to keep their relationship a secret due to this. I’m not a huge fan of that trope.

What I liked most was the historical chapters, detailing the history of the Captain Kismet character and creation of the original (fictional) comics. I’m a big comic fan so that’s what resonated most with me. I could have done with a whole book of that, to be honest

The side characters for the most part just seemed a little mean. Especially Audra. I like banter, but it seemed a bit much sometimes. Dylan, Will’s sister’s nonbinary kid, was my favorite.

Besides a few moments at the beginning, I didn’t really feel like there was much chemistry between Patrick and Will. Maybe it’s just me, but they didn’t seem to have much in common. The pacing also seemed a bit off. It’s like the novel didn’t get confident in itself until the halfway mark, somehow?

I’d pick this up if you’re looking for a light read, and you like metatextual stuff about CBMs!

Such a fun read!! I could barely put it down, I was done reading almost as quickly as I started reading

Super cute cover!! Kudos to the artist.

The concept is great. The prose itself was slightly over-narrated---no big deal and a lot of readers don't mind, it's just not for me. I stopped after chapter 1 (5%). I definitely see this landing at 3-4 stars for the target audience though and I really hope it does well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the ARC.

We Could Be Heroes by Phillip Ellis (@philipellis) - I have no idea how to rate this one out of 5

Thanks to @netgalley and Penguin Publishing Group for this ARC copy.

Okay friends... I kind of loved this books... all except for one scene. But I REALLY really hated that one scene. So I am kind of struggling on how I rate this one. It would have absolutely been a four stars read, save for the obligatory “things get ruined” so we can have the tension and the breakup and then the reunion. I am a lover of romance novels so I don’t have a problem with the formula, per se, but the way this one was done... just felt bad.

OKAY, so, it’s a romance between a closeted ‘All-American’ movie star and a Birmingham UK drag queen. And I have found that I really enjoy romances with drag queen characters. I love a skewering of toxic masculinity and they deliver that.

Our movie star, Patrick, is stuck with a morality clause in his contract which means NO GAYNESS ever, but he falls for Will (aka Grace Anatomy) and they have a little secret fling while Patrick is filming a superhero movie about Captain Kismet (sort of a golden age of comics superman type) in the UK. They have to keep it quiet and so the relationship goes as you might expect with appropriate tension around the whole not being able to be out thing.

My issue comes when they hit a boiling point and break up. I felt like Patrick’s behavior in that moment came TOTALLY out of left field. I don’t think anything in the writing had lead to him blowing up in such a spectacularly awful manner. The callous and borderline abusive way that he treats Will in that moment was inexcusable. I know he was under stress, but DAMN. Not cool.

I did love the red carpet moment at the end. Also I haven’t even touched on the cool historical plotline with the creator of Captain Kismet that was snuck in there. I could have read a whole book about them. It felt very Cat Sebastian and we all know how much I adore Cat’s writing.

I’m a bit long winded here, but I am torn about this one. I liked 90% of this. But MAN, that other bit. Bugged me.

It's fun and doesn't require much brain power. The main love interest can be kind of annoying at times but so am I so relatable. It feels almost like an actor AU of a marvel movie and that's not a bad thing. It's still fun and gay. That's all I ask for.

Loved the queer love story at its heart as well as the thoughtful look at the downsides of fame as an openly gay actor and the film industry as a whole.

5+ Stars!

Thank you NetGalley and Philip Ellis for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was absolutely adorable and delightful! Patrick is a rich, successful movie star who plays the superhero Captain Kismet and has to keep his homosexuality a secret or risk his career. Will is an out and proud drag queen but is a little insecure because he was recently dumped. The chemistry between these two was amazing. I loved the conflict and soul searching. I loved the flashbacks to Charles' story (the creator of Captain Kismet), whose life mirrors Patrick's. I loved the humor which made me laugh out loud many times! This was so fun and sweet. It was also the second book with a drag queen MC that I've read this month. I must be in my drag queen era and I am NOT complaining!

A romance between a movie star and a drag queen. What's not to love? And really, there's nothing wrong with this book. The romance was sweet, the characters were fun, and I liked the risks Ellis took with the side characters.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was very different than I expected! To clarify, it is very much a cute romance with an actor and a drag queen as the main love interests, but this baby has layers! The actor MC, Patrick Lake, is playing a Captain America-esque superhero called Captain Kismet, and through the course of his romance with Will, the drag queen, there’s a parallel story about the queer writer and illustrator who created the character Patrick is now embodying. I found all of the characters really interesting. Will and Patrick were both compelling in their own right, but I’d be lying if I said I felt the romance was equally as compelling. The chemistry wasn’t entirely absent. I just found myself waiting for a moment between them that would really grab me and convince me they needed to be together. It was cute, and the other elements of the plot kept my interest enough that I was able to overlook the places I thought the romance was lacking. There is one moment of conflict towards the end that didn’t work for me. I think I understand what Ellis was trying to do with the character in that scene, but I’m not sure the execution worked. It felt forced. Not enough to ruin the book for me, but definitely bumped it down a bit when I was deciding on my rating. All of that said, I thought Ellis’ writing style really worked in this book. I haven’t read anything else by this author, but I would definitely pick up something by him in the future becauseI thought the story had a lot going for it and a lot of potential in the parts that didn’t quite connect with me.

This book was a pleasant read while on vacation. It was an amusing, if predictable story, with some laughs and a nice amount of color. The concept was good though it took a while to understand where the two different stories were going and how they related. At the end it was a very nice tie up. One downside was the stereotypical negative portrayal of Los Angeles. It dragged me down and distracted from the story.
Fun light read with a bit of history and message.

3 Stars

While filming in Birmingham, UK, actor Patrick Lake meets and falls in love with local drag queen, Will Wright. Given Patrick’s role as the next Captain Kismet (essentially Superman), he isn’t able to be out without losing the career he’s slowly built for himself. Will agrees to love in secret, but with the film coming to a wrap the two aren’t sure what it will mean for their relationship.

What you see is what you get with this novel. The humor was excellent and mainly came from fast quips from the drag queens. The first kiss between Patrick and Will was actually really really cute. Will was living everyone’s fantasy of having a big star actor fancy them, but I found it really believable how quickly Will seemed to get used to Patrick. At times, he was hyper aware of his fame and the difference in their power dynamic, but other times he had to be reminded of that fact. It was really interesting to see played out and I enjoyed seeing these two get closer.

I also enjoyed the chapters from the past showing how Captain Kismet came to be. It was giving Evelyn Hugo vibes, and I think readers who like the feel of that book but want a modern day twist will really enjoy this book. Ellis balances taking this novel seriously and also having fun with it perfectly. It was a fun touch to make the epilogue after the author note, similar to how in a superhero movie there’s a teaser cut scene after the credits.

While I did enjoy this read overall, the beginning was a bit clunky with having to meet all the characters and understanding the dual timeline. As wonderful as this book was, I didn’t get that feeling like I was tapping into something extraordinarily special either. I’m landing on a solid 3 Star book that I’m sure you’re bound to find some good laughs, swoony moments, and feel-good messaging in.

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

First, I would LOVE to thank Netgalley, Philip Ellis, and Putnam Books/Penguin for the opportunity to read this ARC. The reviews below are my own honest thoughts.

This story was nothing short of enlightening, painfully truthful (in the right way), organic, and heartbreaking. “We Could Be Heroes” follows Patrick, an actor whose career is on the rise, especially because he is filming the second installment of his superhero movie, which is bound to lock him into stardom. We then meet Will, a bookseller by day and Grace Anatomy by night, his drag persona. Patrick finds himself at the local gay bar, The Village, on a night off with his colleagues. Things take a turn for the worse when Patrick is recognized by the MC, and the crowd goes wild. In a scene of craziness, Patrick is saved by Grace Anatomy in all her redhead glory. This sparks the beginning of a long journey that both characters are not ready for… or are they? We are also taken down a parallel storyline that dates back to the 1950s, where we watch the creators of the “Captain Kismet” comics gain their inspiration and how it ties back to the present day.

My favorite part of this novel was how the author compared the similarities between being a celebrity and being gay in a way that can be understood by all readers. Celebrities are public figures. They must act a certain way and be “role models” for their fans. They are not allowed to be sloppy, unattractive, poor, have their own opinions, and forget about having any privacy. One simple mistake can tank their reputation and career. The same can be said about the gay community. We are not allowed to be outgoing, feminine, masculine, loud, proud, experimental, etc. This results in us being called names and discriminated against. A long list can be found in this novel. We are confined to our society's expectations of us, whether they are right or wrong. This stood out to me and made many sections of this novel more meaningful to me when reading.

This novel touches on a lot of current day issues that the LGBTQ+ community deals with on a regular basis. The Don't Say Gay Bill, drag queens being banned from reading in libraries, women's rights, gender identification, mental health issues, acceptance issues in the family household, hate crimes in LGBTQ+ safe establishments, and the lingering anxiety that we feel to ensure we are safe to be who we are. There is a portion of the novel where Patrick describes that Coming Out is not a one-time struggle. We fear every time we start a new job, meet new people, experience a new place, we have to monitor and ask ourselves, “Is it safe to be who I am here? Can I tell these people who I am?”

While this novel does hit the nail on the head for a lot of really important and tough issues, it is also balanced well with lots of humor, heartfelt moments, and great character building. I don’t think there was a character I didn’t like. The jokes aimed at the MCU made me laugh, and I LOVED the “Post Acknowledgement Scene.” A superhero story would never be complete without it.

I encourage everyone to give this one a read.

"We Could Be Heroes" by Philip Ellis isn’t for me. I may not be the right audience for this story. I couldn’t connect with the story of the characters. The book has a promising premise but I was disappointed in the actual story because I found the characters to be boring and self-involved. Some of the supporting characters were narcissistic and unlikable. The characters lack depth, and the attempt to interweave the Kismet comic books into the story feels forced and distracting. At the 40% point, I gave up. Life is too short to force myself to read something that puts me to sleep.

I don’t know if this one was for me, there were certainly a lot of cute moments, and some of the humor I enjoyed, but other parts (of the humor) felt kind of hurtful, so that took me out of it a bit. If you’re into superhero romances, and a bit of a quirky ride, this book could definitely be for you.

I really enjoyed the use of acting in this, it had the elements that I was hoping for and I enjoyed the superhero feel. I thought the Romance element worked great and that the characters felt like they were supposed to. I thought the romance element was perfect and that it wasn't fake at all. It just had a great feel to it and it was just overall a fun read. Philip Ellis has a great writing style for this type of book and for realistic romance.

You can just tell by the cover that this is going to be a fun, cute story, and it definitely delivered on that. Both main characters are delightful and nuanced, and they each come with a great cast of supporting characters. I loved the backdrop of filming a blockbuster comic book film. And especially liked the flashbacks and tie-in of how that particular comic book came to be. I did think the main conflict for the couple hit quite suddenly, but otherwise this is a solid romance for modern audiences.

I am so glad I was able to get this book as an ARC, I had a blast reading this! It was so different from most things I’ve read in its quirky but genuine cast of characters. The author managed to weave the plot lines of the actual characters with the characters of the comic so seamlessly.

As a character reader, I absolutely adored both Patrick in his quieter, reserved nature and Will in his chaotic, adorable sweetness. When the two get together, their personalities mesh so well. I loved how tender and wholesome their love was! Every casual forehead kiss from Patrick to Will added 5 years to my life! Specially because it contrasted so much from the backstory we get to know about Patrick, and the inner monologue we hear from him. My baby isn’t even aware of how loving and affectionate he truly is 🥺🥺.

The side characters were also so well written, both Patrick and Will’s friends added to the sense of this loving found family that I wish I had. I want a friend like Jordan 😭

The only issue I had with the book was the Hollywood plot. This story is set in present time and we get so many modern references that it feels jarring whenever the scene cuts to Simone being a horrendous nightmare. The whole being queer is gonna have you jobless in Hollywood in 2024 felt off as a plot device. If anything, that’s very much “in style” right now. I wish the story had stuck with Patrick’s upbringing for his own reasons to not want to be out rather than because it’s not acceptable in Hollywood. I would argue it’s one of the few industries where it is accepted.

But overall, I loved it and I will be getting the actual book for my collection when the book is out!

I loved this book! As other reviews have mentioned, WE COULD BE HEROES gave me strong Notting Hill vibes, while also being a fun and unique romcom all its own. On the surface, Patrick and Will couldn't be more different. Patrick's star is on the rise, and the superhero movie he's currently filming just might cement him as an actor to watch. Will is a part-time bookseller, part-time drag queen who's just trying to live his best life. When a chance encounter on a chaotic night out brings the two men together, it sparks an unexpected friendship between them...and maybe even something more.

This was such an enjoyable, endearing story with characters you can't help but root for! I honestly think it would make a great movie. Ellis strikes a good balance between the lighthearted, sweet romance between Patrick and Will, and the heavier issues that affect their dynamic/the story overall. Beyond Patrick and Will, who are both so well-developed, the side characters were also very fleshed-out and fun to read about! I particularly enjoyed following Will's sister Margot and best friend/coworker, April, and Patrick's costar Audra and the other friends he makes on set. There is a secondary storyline woven throughout the main plot that I initially thought was a little unnecessary, but I ultimately loved how it was included and thought it was wrapped up in a really satisfying way. Overall, I would definitely recommend WE COULD BE HEROES for fans of romcoms with equal parts swoon and substance! Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books/Penguin for the ARC.

We Could Be Heroes was such a wonderful read! I was rooting for Will & Patrick so hard! I wanted to see them succeed and win at life both with one another and in their relationship.

Will & Patrick were surrounded by good friends, and love and support. This was a really sweet book!