​“The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King” is a heartfelt and hilarious debut novel by Harry Trevaldwyn that captures the exuberance and challenges of teenage life. The story follows Patch Simmons, a 16-year-old aspiring actor in small-town England, determined to find his first boyfriend before prom. Armed with his single mum’s outdated self-help books and the unwavering support of his best friend Jean, Patch’s journey is filled with comedic misadventures and poignant moments. Trevaldwyn masterfully balances humor with genuine emotion, creating a narrative that is both entertaining and deeply resonant. Patch’s larger-than-life personality and his quest for love and self-discovery make this novel a delightful read for fans of character-driven romantic comedies.

The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King" by Harry Trevaldwyn is following Patch Simmons who is determined to find a boyfriend. The book is full of humor and heart, a funny read, but also a heartwarming story about friendship, self-discovery, and the complexities of young love. The main character, Patch Simmons, is described as a larger-than-life personality, and his voice is a major highlight of the book. The book explores themes of queer identity, the importance of friendship, and the often-comedic struggles of navigating teenage romance. Being the book a perfect teen rom-com it is navigating the ups and downs of adolescence. A funny and light read perfect to start reading in English.

Patrick, a queer teenager, wants to get his first boyfriend before this years prom. The book gives us a deep inside into his thoughts. Strong emotional ups and downs and an especially in the beginning of the story low selfconsciousnes with high selforientation describe Patches (Patricks) character. Does he change to a more empathetic person? And does he reach his aim of getting a boyfriend in time? Read the book and you’ll get the answers…

It was a slow start for me - but it got better from there! I would give it 3.5 stars, so don’t take the 3 as too harsh a criticism, it’s more about knowing what you get and expectations management: Overall, it’s is a really good book, very well written and Patch, the main character, ranges from funny to hilarious, from superficial to showcasing some emotional skills and sometimes I found him also rather annoying. However, that’s a normal Teenager’s life I guess! The book evolves around Patch, a 16 year old queer boy who sets out to find a boyfriend from prom. Friendships and the school drama club are also important themes, and key for me was that it’s written in easy and very entertaining language. It did have several laugh out loud moments that I really enjoyed, but at the same time it wasn’t a book that kept me hooked or that I kept thinking much about after finishing it. However for a lovely passtime, it’s a great book to dive into a teenager’s mind and live through his ups and downs! So with the right expectation I would recommend it!

With his easy-to-read and entertaining style of writing, Harry Trevaldwyn has created a funny yet touching story. The story follows the main character Patch, a dramatic, but at the same time funny teenager, on his search to find his first boyfriend. Throughout the book, he also learns about the importance of friendships, honesty and cake. The story is filled with drama, as Patch’s impulsive nature leads to unexpected twists and turns. All in all it’s a highly entertaining and light-hearted read. It’s perfect for escaping the craziness of the real world for a while.

With his charming characters and laugh-out-loud moments, author Harry Trevaldwyn captivates the reader from the very first page of his delightful debut novel. The story follows the main character, Patrick (“Patch”), an overly confident, tad overdramatic, queer teenager on his quest to find his first boyfriend while discovering the importance of friendships, cake, and self-reflection. While Patch navigates the ups and downs of everyday teenage life, we meet many great side characters, such as his best friend, ally and wingwoman, Jean, or Ms. Beckett, his former English teacher and reluctant life coach. Overall, “The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King” is an engaging and heartwarming book suitable not only for YA readers but for anyone looking for a lighthearted and humorous read. I’m excited to see what author Trevaldwyn has in store for us in his next book!

Erinnern Sie sich noch daran, wie Sie als Jugendlicher waren? Was war wichtig für Sie? Wie war die erste Liebe und was für Freundschaften hatten Sie? Patch, natürlich kann man in diesem Alter nicht einfach Patrick heißen, erlebt Höhen und Tiefen dieses Alters, was natürlich auch viele lustige Szenen ergibt. Dramatik ist angesagt, es gibt nur schwarz oder weiß, nur du bist mit mir oder du bist gegen mich. Man lernt auch mit verschiedenen Gefühlen umgehen, was sich für Patch manchmal sehr schwierig erweist. Sein Charakter hilft ihm dabei nicht wirklich. Er entdeckt dabei die Wichtigkeit der anderen Personen in seinem Leben: seine Mutter und seine Schwester, seine beste Freundin und eine ganz besondere Lehrerin. Auch wenn er in gewissen Momenten nicht vom Fleck kommt und er ein richtiger Sturkopf ist, entwickelt er sich gegen das Ende des Buches doch noch zu einem jungen Mann, der nicht nur an sich selbst denkt, sondern auch an Andere, dabei entdeckt er auch die Liebe. Sind Sie bereit viel zu lachen, auch wenn die Szenen manchmal wirklich übertrieben scheinen und interessiert Sie das Innenleben eines Teenagers, dann werden Sie viel Freude an diesem Buch haben.

Patrick Simmons is a 16-year-old british queer boy. To be more characterful and mysterious, he rebranded himself as Patch. The Drama Club (which is really just kind of a party place for teenies) is the perfect place to find a potential boyfriend for him before Prom. Two new boys, Sam and Peter, join the club’s production of Sweeney Todd as well. Both seem like good options to Patch. He’s a completely self involved teenager who thinks the world revolves around him and that he knows everything. His (and only) wisdom is mostly taken from his single mum’s self-help books. Life as a teeny is not easy always… friendships change and first love comes often unexpected. I do like the thoughtful part of patch. But often annoying and a bit difficult to like sometimes Partly a sweet romance while the self-obsessed teenager, who really is a drama queen, makes a very fresh and funny teen comedy out of it.

I really enjoyed this book and it was a fairly easy read. Some scenes made me laugh out loud, others took me back to my own teenage years. Even though the writing style is light and funny, the book has some depth to it and there are some important themes that are in the books. It’s about friendship, love, coming out and being different. It only gets 4 stars from me because I would have wished for a bit more depth and a slightly slower pace. Nevertheless I would recommend it to everyone who wants a fun, teenage story with a queer main character.

This book blends humor, heart, and sharp observations about life and relationships. From the very first pages, the writing style pulls you in, making it easy to lose track of time while following the main character’s journey. The witty dialogue and laugh-out-loud moments make the story incredibly enjoyable. As the book evolves and takes some unexpected turns, what stands out the most is the main character and his personal development, making it a lighthearted read with depth—especially when it comes to themes of self-discovery, friendship, and staying true to oneself. Definitely one to recommend if you enjoy books that mix humor with heartfelt moments (and a little bit of teen drama )!

The writing style of this book is truly easy and fast to read. Especially the end of the book I read in just one evening However, the beginning of the book was very disappointing. The whole story was about desperately finding a boyfriend without considering other people or anything. Patch - the main character - was very superficial and more annoying than funny. His only goal was to have a relationship without considering if the other boy was gay or liked him. But the journey after the first part was very nicely displayed. From holding grudges and always playing the victim to self-reflecting and growing. Truly considering the feelings of other people and maybe even becoming a little “adulty.” Overall, I appreciated the book very much, and it was a nice and light read overall.

From the first page, I was hooked. The writing is so lively and natural that reading it feels easy, like slipping into the main character’s head for a while. I aboslutely adored how the main character is written. He’s sharp, confident, and sometimes a little too sure of himself, but also full of doubts and insecurities. That mix makes him feel very real and just like the teenage boy he’s supposed to be. The way he goes from totally self-assured to questioning everything is super relatable and adds a lot of depth. The humor is another big plus. I laughed out loud more than once. But it’s not just jokes — there are also some really heartfelt, emotional moments. The book captures what it feels like to be young, figuring out friendships, love, and who you really are, which makes it so easy to connect with. If I had to nitpick, I’d say the writing got a little repetitive toward the end. And there’s one particular description that gets used a lot, which was kind of odd—but honestly, it didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed the book. All in all, this was such a fun, charming read. I’d totally recommend it to anyone who loves character-driven stories with humor, heart, and a nostalgic feel. It’s a must-read for fans of Heartstopper!

In the book “The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King”, Harry Trevaldwyn writes about the quirky story of the queer teenager Patch, who is on the lookout for his first boyfriend to go to prom to, and encounters some romantic (and not so romantic) challenges along the way. The writing style of Trevaldwyn is lighthearted and hilarious, which makes the book an incredibly fun read. The story is nothing groundbreaking and resembles many coming-out-of-age stories. However, it is told from a queer perspective, which allows a fresh and new look on some of the topics. The inner monologue of Patch is very relatable and well written. Apart from the first love, the story also talks about the importance of friendship in a very beautiful way. All in all, a fun and hilarious piece, which I would recommend to anyone who likes rom-coms and coming-out-of-age stories.