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A review by ellaray236
We Could Be Heroes by PJ Ellis
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
4.5
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 🌟