The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King

Teenager Patrick, or to use his preferred, self-invented nickname, Patch (because ‘Patch’ is the type of person to give other people tips on how to kiss whilst also smelling perfect and having the perfect amount of rip on his ripped jeans.) is indeed a drama king. He lives with his single parent mum and big sister in Hiverhampton, a small town that will be perfectly familiar to any UK reader, attends high school with his best friend Jean, a real LGBTQ+ ally and totally lovely person. He’s come out to the drama group he attends (and will do it again, twice, in the course of the novel) and he is determined that this is the term he will get a boyfriend. Drama club seems the best place to find one and sure enough, there are two new boys attending – gorgeous Peter, recently moved from New York, and quiet Sam, Peter’s friend.

Of course, as any reader of romantic fiction knows, the path of true love is never smooth and there are fallings-out, misunderstandings, making ups and sudden self-discoveries to delight aficionados of the genre. As romantic heroes go, Patch is nigh on perfect, delightfully open, delightfully blind to his own shortcomings but always ready to admit when he’s got things wrong.

Not for nothing surely is Sam caught reading Sense and Sensibility when first we meet him; this small town, big emotions romance is sharply observed, witty, full of characters readers will adore, and manages to be both hilarious and heartfelt.