This book was so much fun. I was entertained from start to finish, and Patch is a character that will stick in my mind for years. You rarely find a character that is so fleshed out and laugh out loud funny. I give this story a solid 5/5 stars and look forward to more books by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King

The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King is a good choice for those who enjoy light-hearted, character-driven stories with a focus on identity and relationships. It's a book for fans of books like Red, White, and Royal Blue, though I found it slightly less charming, though it was overall an entertaining read.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King is a charming and hilarious comedy. Patch decides this is the he’s getting a boyfriend. The only problem is all the other boys have boyfriends. So it’s not as easy as he thought. He meets two new boys Peter and Sam. Patch knows one of them will be his boyfriend even if he knows nothing about them or if they are gay. This is truly a funny and heartfelt story about love and friendship.

This was such a cute and easy read. If you need something lighthearted and fun to binge-read or read in-and-out whenever you have a spare moment, this is that book.

Patch Simmons is the main character. He has personality, he has opinions, and unfortunate and embarrassing things seem to happen to him (or, more accurately, are caused by him). The book follows Patch (real name Patrick but he’s rebranding) on a quest to find his first love. The options at school are slim, but when two new boys join the drama club, Patch is certain this is his chance to have a real first boyfriend.

This book has so much fun personality. I found myself suppressing cheesy smiles at the banter between characters and Patch’s internal thoughts. Harry Trevaldwyn really nailed the sit-com-esque tone.

My only gripe about this book is that the only American character is the one character who sounds the most British. He would say things like “properly great” and I was like wait, aren’t you not from here? 🤨

This book seems like it would be just for me. I love YA, I love theater, etc. But the main characters seem much more like 14 than 16, and I found them to be pretty insufferable. I tried paper and audio before giving up. I think it will be a hit for teens, but probably not for adults who read YA, and that is OK.

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

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

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

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

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

I can't really pinpoint what didn't quite work for me in this book. It's rather short, so it wasn't quite as developed as it could've been, but really I don't mind a shorter book. I think it's biggest sin is that although the main character is dramatic and fun to follow, I can't imagine I'll remember anything about this book in a couple weeks. It works as a light, quick read, but I don't see myself recommending it over anything similar.

An easily bingeable read that will make you laugh, cry, and cringe at parts from second-hand embarrassment (sorry, Patch).

Patch, as a main character, can feel like a lot to handle at first because... well, because he's dramatic. But that's literally in the title, so it's to be expected. And I think, because of this, there are times where he isn't the best versions of himself; he's not the best son, or the best friend, or the best brother (at least, not to me). But I think that's okay, because for all his dramatics, Patch is still good. And I think the Patch we see at the end of the book is somehow vastly different from the Patch we see at the start, because of this.

I love that Patch learns how to grow without changing too much of himself, especially the parts of him that made this book so entertaining to read!

The romance and friendships here were really fun to read. This wasn't so much Heartstopper-esque to me, either, as it was Lindsey Lohan's Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen. Am I showing my age with that one? Though I think the Derry Girls comp is pretty spot on, so if you like funny friend groups, you'll love this book as well.

Thank you to st martins press and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 3.75 stars

Synopsis: patch set a goal to have a boyfriend by the end of his theatrical group play. The goal looks accomplishable when 2 new guys join the group. However patch has a lot of emotions and will those get in way of his goal.

What I liked: this is a great representation of Josh school drama club and the emotions with it. Patch was funny but stubborn and definitely lets his emotions get the best of him. I really like the growth that patch experienced throughout the book and learning that he is not the center of everything. I liked how it was written as well so it didn’t seem patronizing. Overall a very fun read

I completely adored this book! The characters are well developed, and the story is wonderful! It is one of those stories that make you forget you are reading. Instead, it pulls you inside to enjoy the ride.

I really wanted to like this, but the main character is just so self-centered and frustrating. He is mean to his family, his friends, and his romantic interests. He finally comes around but it is hard to wait to get to that part. I don't know, I know I am not its targeted audience, but I read a lot of YA and still enjoy a lot of it. This one just missed the mark for me.

It was very hard to get into this book because the narrator was so frenzied, the voice trying so hard to be clever it made me tired and anxious--not what I was looking for in tired and anxious times. However once he started growing up a bit, and found a boyfriend, the book became a delight. I suspect I might have enjoyed it a lot more in a lighter humor when I was reading.

Today we recommend The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King by Harry Trevaldwyn. Patch Simmons has decided that this year he is finally going to get a boyfriend so when two new boys, Peter and Sam join the drama club he is certain it will be one of them, and he sets his sights on Peter.

At first, Patch is an annoying and kind of pretentious character who acts as if things can be so just because he expects them to be without worrying about other people's thoughts and feelings. He doesn't treat his friends very well either. However, he gradually learns not to try to be so controlling and let things develop naturally. He also learns to be more appreciative of his friends. The way his character grows and develops throughout the book is very admirable and makes him a much more likable character.

The side characters in the story are really likable as well. Jean is a good and loyal friend to Patch even when he doesn't see it. At first, she is a much better friend than he deserves. Their former friend, Tessa, is a relatable character who learns that becoming friends with the popular kids to fit in isn't all it's cracked up to be. Her story arc with her two former best friends, Patch and Jean develops in a surprisingly touching way. In fact, quite a few sweet and heartwarming moments of friendship happen in this book.

There is not a lot of romance, but what there is of it is also very touching. Patch learns that sometimes love comes from the most unexpected source. Things develop in a way that makes the ending that much sweeter and satisfying not only for the characters but for the readers of the book too.

If you are of a certain age that found Bridget Jones hilarious and endearing then I think you'll know just how to pitch "Patch" and all of his antics to this YA generation. He is ridiculous yet loveable and charming. He is so clueless and kids would relate to a comparison to Cher from "Clueless," I think. Our high schoolers who are looking for something light and "British" are going to love this.
Thanks so much for the ARC.

This was a fun little escape read this week! The MC is adorable and awkward and the writing just throws you into all of the contradictions of being a teenager and desperately trying to discover yourself while still posturing for others. I laughed. I felt frustrated with his teenager-isms. I rooted for the friendships and the love story. Overall, it is a very sweet and heartwarming read that felt much needed in today's world.

Patch Simmons is dedicating this school year to finding love. Unfortunately, the only two out boys at school have started dating over the summer, so his solution is to look for love in the next best place - drama club. With help from his best friend Jean, Patch sets his eyes on the two new boys, Peter and Sam, and decides that one of them will be his boyfriend. The course of true love never runs smooth, and such is the case in this YA romance as well. Teenage drama is at the forefront on multiple levels as Patch navigates friendships, the school play, and at least one crush.

I found myself laughing out loud during parts of this novel because Patch was just a bit outrageously funny at times. Definitely a feel good read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.

The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King by Harry Trevaldwyn was just what I needed to drag me out of my slump.
This was a wonderfully written romantic comedy.
I absolutely loved these characters and really enjoyed getting to know them.
A sweet, funny and heartwarming read!

This book had a lot of exclamation points but if you remember that the man character is a drama king, it makes sense. I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope others will too.

Such a cute, fun read!! It gives Bridget Jones Diary, Derry Girls, and Glee?? There's moments of extreme second-hand embarrassment, full on laughs, and general teen awkwardness with the stream of conscious vibes that Bridget Jones has. In the beginning, the style really was odd, but once I got used to it I didn't want to put this book down. It was adorable and perfect in my opinion for early teen readers.

One thing that bothered me was the American kid always saying British phrases. Like we don't say "shall we pop outside for a quick chat?" or "you're properly great" LOL. I also think sometimes theater kids are insufferable SORRY OK. So 4 stars.

4/5, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC!!

I received a free copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press; all opinions expressed are exclusively my own.

Again, I'm coming back after a long review hiatus, so it's been quite some time since I read this book. But this is one that stuck out in my mind, because the main character is pretty unforgettable. While sometimes the secondhand embarrassment in teen books kills the experience for me, in the end I enjoyed this story.

Unfortunately, no warnings as I can't rely on my memory to be accurate.