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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to Net Galley and Harper North Publishing for a free e-ARC of 'We Could Be Heroes' by PJ Ellis.
This was such a wholesome queer romance! 'We Could Be Heroes' follows Patrick, a closeted famous actor currently playing 'Captain Kismet', a captain America-esque character, and drag queen and book shop employee Will who stumble into each other while Patrick is filming in Birmingham. I loved all of the American actors adjusting to shooting in Birmingham of all places - it made for some really funny scenarios.
'...a woman was forcibly ejected from the very same doors by a bouncer, vomit visible on her shirt. "It's eight thirty," Corey said in something akin to wonder. "This city is a horror show"'
'I don't think we've ever had a celebrity join us for poppers o'clock. Unless you count Joe Lycett, and I don't, because he's always bloody in here.'
I couldn't put the book down and I felt really connected to all of the characters. I loved that the relationships Will has with his sister and friends were just as emphasised as his romantic relationship with Patrick. The author wrote the relationships and humour well - as well as Patrick's struggle with coming out in the public eye.
'It makes no sense. Hating us, attacking us when we've done nothing, deciding that we're what's wrong with society, that we're the threat to children. All because what? Some absolute wally mistranslated a Bible passage into Greek and fucked us all over. Threw us in jail. Chemically castrated us. Forced us to justify our existence, to beg and scrape for the barest human dignity'
I would recommend this book to anyone -especially if you are a romance fan!
My criticisms of this book are very minimal, the first is of the ~third act conflict~ - but this is a personal opinion as I hate this in most romance books. I will say that the conflict in 'We Could Be Heroes' felt very realistic and happened organically, compared to some romance books where it feels jammed in through an unfortunate miscommunication trope.
Secondly, I appreciated that positive bi and pan representation was shown at other parts of the book but there was a situation where a character makes some statements about bisexual people that felt questionable and offensive.
This was such a wholesome queer romance! 'We Could Be Heroes' follows Patrick, a closeted famous actor currently playing 'Captain Kismet', a captain America-esque character, and drag queen and book shop employee Will who stumble into each other while Patrick is filming in Birmingham. I loved all of the American actors adjusting to shooting in Birmingham of all places - it made for some really funny scenarios.
'...a woman was forcibly ejected from the very same doors by a bouncer, vomit visible on her shirt. "It's eight thirty," Corey said in something akin to wonder. "This city is a horror show"'
'I don't think we've ever had a celebrity join us for poppers o'clock. Unless you count Joe Lycett, and I don't, because he's always bloody in here.'
I couldn't put the book down and I felt really connected to all of the characters. I loved that the relationships Will has with his sister and friends were just as emphasised as his romantic relationship with Patrick. The author wrote the relationships and humour well - as well as Patrick's struggle with coming out in the public eye.
'It makes no sense. Hating us, attacking us when we've done nothing, deciding that we're what's wrong with society, that we're the threat to children. All because what? Some absolute wally mistranslated a Bible passage into Greek and fucked us all over. Threw us in jail. Chemically castrated us. Forced us to justify our existence, to beg and scrape for the barest human dignity'
I would recommend this book to anyone -especially if you are a romance fan!
My criticisms of this book are very minimal, the first is of the ~third act conflict~ - but this is a personal opinion as I hate this in most romance books. I will say that the conflict in 'We Could Be Heroes' felt very realistic and happened organically, compared to some romance books where it feels jammed in through an unfortunate miscommunication trope.
Secondly, I appreciated that positive bi and pan representation was shown at other parts of the book but there was a situation where a character makes some statements about bisexual people that felt questionable and offensive.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Moderate: Violence
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Gah, this was so cute!
Notting Hill meets drag queens 🥰
🌶️🌶️.5
Notting Hill meets drag queens 🥰
🌶️🌶️.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
We Could be Heroes was published in 2024, but I got an e-copy from NetGalley to read and review, so thanks to PJ Ellis and Harper North for the opportunity to read this gloriously uplifting Queer book!
This braided narrative covers two time periods. The primary one is set in present day (2024) Birmingham where drag Queen/bookshop worker Will meets superstar Hollywood actor Patrick Lake, while filming for the latest blockbuster 'Captain Kismet 2'. Their chance meeting in Will's local where he performs as Grace Anatomy leads to a knuckle-wrapping from Patrick's agent, Simone, but lights a spark... Will is as straight as straight, right? He's Hollywood's darling, he could never like someone like Will... could he?
Okay, this book was totally predictable, but I enjoyed it! So much Queer Joy! With interposed parts of Queer sadness, having to compromise, having to be secretive, having to lie... I guess it felt real; however, I don't believe (correct me if I'm wrong!) that it would be a career breaker to come out as gay in Hollywood in 2024. I know that Patrick is supposed to be representing extreme machismo etc, but it didn't quite ring true that the potential ramifications would be so high...
The second storyline was one I really wanted to love. It was the backstory of the 'Captain Kismet' comics, written by a brother/sister duo, both of whom were Queer during the Mcarthy era. This could have been great but... it just fell flat. The pacing was off when the two strands were braided together, and because there was so little of this earlier storyline, it was hard to feel much for the characters. I think this could have been rewritten to make this part shine, and I, for one, would have been there for it!
Will and Patrick coming together was two worlds colliding (it's not a spoiler, it happens very early in the book). I think that was well done. And there were some really touching moments, as well as some them made you want to smack your head because they were being so damn stupid! Yes, it was cheesy (a bit like Notting Hill actually), but as a quick fun read I was able to overlook that, and just go with the story.
The side characters were great! They were fully fleshed out, 'real' characters, which is a nice change compared to a lot of rom coms where the side characters feel like they're present to make up the numbers. I loved Will's non-binary nephew and his sister. And his best mate Jordan was just lovely. And in the end Patrick's casemates were incredibly supportive too - aw! Real, gooey, cheese. It put a smile on my face.
What didn't was Patrick's agent Simone. She was ultimately playing the role of a sort of Queer fairy godmother almost and it DIDN'T WORK (for me). Internalised homophobia, much?? I didn't like her, and I hated the way she was sort-of managing Patrick's sexuality, but it was all supposed to be 'okay' because she was Queer herself... Er, no. No thank you.
So, it was a quick, fun read with some really, touching (if you don't mind lots of Gruyere) moments; however, the tempo was sadly ruined by the second plot line which, IMO, could actually have been better than the main one if it had been developed properly. Disappointing.
On the fence. 3 stars overall, for the sheer amount of celebrating Queer Joy. Points off for the rest.
This braided narrative covers two time periods. The primary one is set in present day (2024) Birmingham where drag Queen/bookshop worker Will meets superstar Hollywood actor Patrick Lake, while filming for the latest blockbuster 'Captain Kismet 2'. Their chance meeting in Will's local where he performs as Grace Anatomy leads to a knuckle-wrapping from Patrick's agent, Simone, but lights a spark... Will is as straight as straight, right? He's Hollywood's darling, he could never like someone like Will... could he?
Okay, this book was totally predictable, but I enjoyed it! So much Queer Joy! With interposed parts of Queer sadness, having to compromise, having to be secretive, having to lie... I guess it felt real; however, I don't believe (correct me if I'm wrong!) that it would be a career breaker to come out as gay in Hollywood in 2024. I know that Patrick is supposed to be representing extreme machismo etc, but it didn't quite ring true that the potential ramifications would be so high...
The second storyline was one I really wanted to love. It was the backstory of the 'Captain Kismet' comics, written by a brother/sister duo, both of whom were Queer during the Mcarthy era. This could have been great but... it just fell flat. The pacing was off when the two strands were braided together, and because there was so little of this earlier storyline, it was hard to feel much for the characters. I think this could have been rewritten to make this part shine, and I, for one, would have been there for it!
Will and Patrick coming together was two worlds colliding (it's not a spoiler, it happens very early in the book). I think that was well done. And there were some really touching moments, as well as some them made you want to smack your head because they were being so damn stupid! Yes, it was cheesy (a bit like Notting Hill actually), but as a quick fun read I was able to overlook that, and just go with the story.
The side characters were great! They were fully fleshed out, 'real' characters, which is a nice change compared to a lot of rom coms where the side characters feel like they're present to make up the numbers. I loved Will's non-binary nephew and his sister. And his best mate Jordan was just lovely. And in the end
What didn't was Patrick's agent Simone. She was ultimately playing the role of a sort of Queer fairy godmother almost and it DIDN'T WORK (for me). Internalised homophobia, much?? I didn't like her, and I hated the way she was sort-of managing Patrick's sexuality, but it was all supposed to be 'okay' because she was Queer herself... Er, no. No thank you.
So, it was a quick, fun read with some really, touching (if you don't mind lots of Gruyere) moments; however, the tempo was sadly ruined by the second plot line which, IMO, could actually have been better than the main one if it had been developed properly. Disappointing.
On the fence. 3 stars overall, for the sheer amount of celebrating Queer Joy. Points off for the rest.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you NetGalley and HarperNorth for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
‘We Could Be Heroes’ is a queer romcom in which Patrick, American superstar and face of a big action movie series, meets Will, a bookseller and drag queen, when Patrick’s movie relocated to Birmingham for last minute reshoots. Back in the 1940s, Charles and Iris are working on the creation of the Captain Kismet comics, all the while hiding their true selves. However, their story brings together Patrick and Will in the present day, as they hunt the elusive lost story and sparks begin to fly…
‘We Could Be Heroes’ is a queer romcom in which Patrick, American superstar and face of a big action movie series, meets Will, a bookseller and drag queen, when Patrick’s movie relocated to Birmingham for last minute reshoots. Back in the 1940s, Charles and Iris are working on the creation of the Captain Kismet comics, all the while hiding their true selves. However, their story brings together Patrick and Will in the present day, as they hunt the elusive lost story and sparks begin to fly…
I cannot express to you what a fun time I had with this book. The romance made me kick my little feet - neurotic, out-and-proud drag queen Will bringing closeted, golden boy Patrick into the world of Birmingham’s queer scene was so lovely to read. Their relationship was at times tender and at others, pretty damn hot, but always wonderful - except the ol’ third act break-up (look, it’s a romance novel, I knew it was coming). The secondary characters rounded off the novel in a way that made the story more full and the found family vibes were perfect for me. I thought the 1940s subplot added some really powerful layering to a story that had a whole lot of heart. Exploring queer identity and the joy that is found in truly knowing and being yourself was the real strength of this novel, and the little subplots interwoven with the main romance meant this book packed more of a punch that I anticipated.
As I hinted earlier, I’m not going to moan about the third act break-up, because we all saw that coming. I feel this is pretty common, so I don’t judge a book for employing this. What I will judge is how the aftermath is handled. And honestly? This book did not fumble. No spoilers, but we love to see growth and introspection from our main characters!
Was this book cheesy? A little. Was it predictable? Kind of. Does that matter, when I had such a great time reading it? Nope! This was a fun, queer romantic romp grounded with deeper themes exploring queer identity, the state of our world (both past and present), the challenges queer people face - and what a joy it is to beat them.
If you’re looking for something with plenty of heart and a lot of sass, I highly recommend putting on your heels and tucking in - pun fully intended - to the most fabulous superhero story.
4.5 🌟
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall, cute and wholesome. Initially, I was a tiny bit hesitant that the first meeting between the main characters would be cliché, but it wasn’t, and I was drawn into the story straight away. The superhero movie star Patrick falling for daytime bookseller and nighttime local drag queen Will worked surprisingly well—a match made in heaven. Birmingham was a fun setting. The different quirky supporting characters, with a special shout-out to those comprising Will’s chosen family, were amazing. I absolutely loved the added dimension of reading from the Captain Kismet comic creators’ perspectives in the 1940s, and how this was tied together with the main plot. The hardships that were faced felt realistic. The anti-anti-drag protest and other moments added a lot. I loved the sense of community present in the story. Well done.
Would recommend to anyone in the mood for a fun queer celebrity romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperNorth for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
What a great read! The mix of superhero movie culture and queer culture was so well done. The balance was perfect between the romance and the more serious topics. I wasn’t expecting that the book would alternate between the current time and the late 40’s, that took me a moment to get used to, but it all came together so well!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thought the pacing and timing of every plot point was excellent it really felt like things were moving in a way that made logical sense. The emotional beats were all there and hit so perfect, I felt what I was supposed to be feeling when the characters were feeling it. Absolutely delightful.
3.5! I admittedly picked this up because the cover very much resembles a certain Marvel couple (I'm not convinced this didn't start as a story about them, which is fine by me, I picked it up for that reason so why would I be mad at it?) but it's a cute rom-com with a lot to say about identify. Could have done without the huffers, and there are a lot of characters to keep straight, but eh, it was fun.