![Cover image of We Could be Heroes by PJ Ellis. A yellow spotlight cuts through a purple background. In the glow a spotlight a blond man, coiffed and well groomed, in a superhero costume holds a man bridal-style in his arms. The blond's costume is skin-tight, and largely blue. A red belt, and red cape strike a bold contrast. The man in his arms is dark haired, and handsome. He wears dark trousers, a salmon pink t-shirt, and a grey cardigan. Despite the simple, masculine outfit, he wears a pair of bright red platform stiletto heels, one of which dangles teasingly from an arched foot. The men gaze at each other with clear affection. Above their heads the title of the book [We Could be Heroes] appears in a simple cream sans serif font, it has a red shadowing along the edges. This makes the words look 3D, but also gives them a distinct retro comic-book vibe. In the upper right of the image the author's name [PJ Ellis] is written in a flat, yellow sans serif font.](https://eebonnerauthor.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/image-3.png?w=255)
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperNorth, and PJ Ellis for a Galley of this in return for an honest review.
This was an immaculate mix of campy humour, subtle political statement, and heart breaking emotion. Caught between a fun, and funny, superhero themed romcom, a scathing indictment of systemic homophobia, and a wrenching representation of what it is to be queer, traumatised, and queer & traumatised, We Could Be Heroes is a wonderful novel filled with humour.
Ellis has taken care to craft characters who behave like people, which is something I adore in novels. Will and Patrick couldn’t be more human if they tried, and (without spoiling anything) the other characters we meet across timelines do the same! I did just say timelines. Unexpectedly, this novel is somewhat epistolary, and features snapshots from the lives of people in the 1950s – this for me was a bonus, but if that kind of changing about isn’t something you enjoy in books then all I can say is it’s a real shame you’ll be missing out on this one!
I really loved this. I had a lot of fun, and once I was in it I was consumed. It just misses the 5 star mark for me, because I do think some of the more intimate scenes were a little confused. There was enough to tell you what was happening, but they were all a little rushed or vague. For me that kind of half-open / not-quite-closed door intimacy, where detail is there but also withheld, is never really enjoyable. It’s too much for closed door, not enough for open, and I always find it weakens the moment a little. It’s a small thing, and really just a me problem!
Overall, brilliant. A fun, feisty, colourful, unapologetically queer love story. A true delight to read. 4.5 stars.
Let's Talk Books 
Leave a comment