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Leading Man
Leo’s content to be in the background, letting his louder, more charismatic best friends shine. For a thirty-something gay people pleaser it’s always been safer that way.
But, suddenly, a gorgeous love interest from the past steps out of the wings, Leo’s pushed to his limits by his overenthusiastic new boss and – strangest of all – he begins to question whether the friends he loves so dearly have been holding him back.
For the first time ever, the spotlight is on Leo. But a spotlight reveals everything. And now all the things Leo has hidden away in darkness are in full focus. If he’s to get everything he’s ever wanted, Leo will need to face his past, and the future, head on. But he might not like everything he sees.
But, suddenly, a gorgeous love interest from the past steps out of the wings, Leo’s pushed to his limits by his overenthusiastic new boss and – strangest of all – he begins to question whether the friends he loves so dearly have been holding him back.
For the first time ever, the spotlight is on Leo. But a spotlight reveals everything. And now all the things Leo has hidden away in darkness are in full focus. If he’s to get everything he’s ever wanted, Leo will need to face his past, and the future, head on. But he might not like everything he sees.
352 pages, Hardcover
Published May 9, 2024
6 people are currently reading
210 people want to read
About the author
Justin Myers
5 books125 followersJustin Myers is an author and journalist from Shipley, West Yorkshire. Perhaps best known for his work as The Guyliner and his Impeccable Table Manners blog, Justin's writing has featured in many leading publications, including the Guardian, GQ, and The Times. He is the author of four novels: The Last Romeo (2018), The Magnificent Sons (2020), The Fake-Up (2022), and Leading Man (2024), all published by Little, Brown. A fifth novel, The Glorious Dead, arrives September 2025, from Renegade.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
May 7, 2024
✰ 2.5 stars ✰
“There are two types of people in the world: those who think they’re the centre of the universe, and those who know, beyond all doubt, that they’re not even close.”
About a quarter into Leading Man, this was the comment I wrote down in my notes - I think this book was written for me.. At the halfway mark, I knew in my bones that this was on the way to be a certified winner for me. 🥹🥹 You can't imagine how many highlights I was making, how many times I was nodding along at all the thoughts - be it self-deprecating, or self-reflective that thirty-four year old gay drama teacher Leo was making. 'I was the type of man you’d have to search for in a group photo.' It made me think, can you read my mind?!!! Is it self-deprecating if you're just being honest? Always on the outside looking in, but now it's your moment? Who wouldn't want to read something like that? 🥲 It was the start of a story that I felt that I would willingly recommend - encourage others to give it a chance for how much I felt that this was something people would relate to and appreciate.
“My Bastille Day Ideal, I called it. I wasn’t stupid. I knew it couldn’t be all idyllic. Light only looks bright because darkness is nearby. But that didn’t make me want it any less. And now it was mine.”
And the writing captured Leo's conflicting emotions with a lot of grit and heart; Leo was a really likable protagonist, too. His voice channeled so much honesty and sincerity as he navigated his way through friendships that make us wonder why they're even our friends, new romances that make us evaluate our own self-worth and new challenges that have us break through the walls we've set up. It was a heartbreaking and emotionally charged journey and I wanted him to attain happiness, I really did. 😥 I mean, nothing screams more relatable than someone who is a people-pleaser; one who has always felt that he is not the main character in his own life - the ever-existing third wheel of a group of friends who radiate charm and light, whereas he is forever hidden in the shadows.
I disliked his friends with an intense passion - regardless of how good memories Leo has of them, I couldn't - I wouldn't be able to stomach it the way he did. 💔💔 'Regardless, not everyone can be centre stage; some of us aren’t built for it. These hierarchies are flexible, though, depending on who we’re with.' It stings, but he lives; he endures. He endures because he's made his way out of an abusive relationship that had him always second-guessing himself and putting his own needs and pleasures secondary for the sake of his boyfriend. It was painful to read about his abusive ex and how it still haunts and hurts the excuses one makes to cover up that guilt and shame.
So, when Leo has the chance to start up a relationship with a childhood friend, it's a window of an opportunity if there ever was one. A chance to maybe not restart over, but to play a more pivotal part of where he matters. Where theatrics aside, the spotlight could very well shine on him. I was here for it - I was rooting for it - I wanted it to work out for him. I was watching their friendship blossom - noting all the points that hinted that something meaningful was stirring - that this was Leo's chance to find someone who saw him truly for who he was. 🥺 'It felt like permission to be happy.' So much felt like this was the reassuring sign that all that has led Leo to be the person that he is now - with all the doubts and insecurities about his job, his appearance, his relationships - his life could have more meaning to have a future that defined a change in him by taking a chance on a change... And I was beyond ecstatic to see how it goes... ❤️🩹❤️🩹
“I think that’s all some of us want, sometimes, to know the space we take up is valuable, that someone would care if we weren’t in it.”
A little bit beyond the halfway point, something happened - a shift in the plot that not only did I not expect - it was one I did not like. The more I read the madder I got - yes, this, too was another note I jotted down in between all the quotes I had marked. The subject of the story suddenly became one of life lessons on relationship experience, which almost seemed as if it was trying to forgive the misgivings of those who made Leo feel as unimportant and unloved as he did. 😟 I know you'll say it is more important to have a realistic portrayal of life, but the way that it happened - did it not defeat the whole purpose of why Leo wanted to be the one who mattered for once? When in fact, he was somehow ending up right where he started in the first place? 😕
Almost as if saying the people you have always known are the only ones who are going to be there for you? 'I’d never been enough. I just wanted someone to tell me, you’re good, you’re done, I like you the way you are.' And don't get me started on that ending -- the ending which completely came out of nowhere, without preamble or without a realistic build-up considering how nothing that took place in the story indicated such a shift, that if you ask me - completely defeats the purpose of what Leo wanted of himself. 😩
For the first time, he wanted to be the leading man of his story - of a life that he could make on his own without the help of the two best friends, who frankly, were ones I would NOT want to be with at all, considering how many grievances he had against them - not to mention how they even even treated him in the story. I did not like the message of the story; I thought it was a romcom, but I would not say that it was, judging by how it ended. It made me upset and it left me so unsatisfied at how even abruptly it concluded. 'Life is complicated and love is not electricity; you can’t just switch it off and sit in the dark.' 😐 It was such an engaging read at the start, one that I could find so many qualities that made it worth my while, but that unsavory ending, not to mention the whole build up to it, completely eradicated all my good feelings for it - souring my mood completely. And the fact that I read this nearly three months ago and had no desire to re-read it again - since Goodreads had not yet uploaded the book to their server - goes to show just how much the memory of disappointment still lingers so very clearly for me. 😢
*Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“There are two types of people in the world: those who think they’re the centre of the universe, and those who know, beyond all doubt, that they’re not even close.”
About a quarter into Leading Man, this was the comment I wrote down in my notes - I think this book was written for me.. At the halfway mark, I knew in my bones that this was on the way to be a certified winner for me. 🥹🥹 You can't imagine how many highlights I was making, how many times I was nodding along at all the thoughts - be it self-deprecating, or self-reflective that thirty-four year old gay drama teacher Leo was making. 'I was the type of man you’d have to search for in a group photo.' It made me think, can you read my mind?!!! Is it self-deprecating if you're just being honest? Always on the outside looking in, but now it's your moment? Who wouldn't want to read something like that? 🥲 It was the start of a story that I felt that I would willingly recommend - encourage others to give it a chance for how much I felt that this was something people would relate to and appreciate.
“My Bastille Day Ideal, I called it. I wasn’t stupid. I knew it couldn’t be all idyllic. Light only looks bright because darkness is nearby. But that didn’t make me want it any less. And now it was mine.”
And the writing captured Leo's conflicting emotions with a lot of grit and heart; Leo was a really likable protagonist, too. His voice channeled so much honesty and sincerity as he navigated his way through friendships that make us wonder why they're even our friends, new romances that make us evaluate our own self-worth and new challenges that have us break through the walls we've set up. It was a heartbreaking and emotionally charged journey and I wanted him to attain happiness, I really did. 😥 I mean, nothing screams more relatable than someone who is a people-pleaser; one who has always felt that he is not the main character in his own life - the ever-existing third wheel of a group of friends who radiate charm and light, whereas he is forever hidden in the shadows.
I disliked his friends with an intense passion - regardless of how good memories Leo has of them, I couldn't - I wouldn't be able to stomach it the way he did. 💔💔 'Regardless, not everyone can be centre stage; some of us aren’t built for it. These hierarchies are flexible, though, depending on who we’re with.' It stings, but he lives; he endures. He endures because he's made his way out of an abusive relationship that had him always second-guessing himself and putting his own needs and pleasures secondary for the sake of his boyfriend. It was painful to read about his abusive ex and how it still haunts and hurts the excuses one makes to cover up that guilt and shame.
So, when Leo has the chance to start up a relationship with a childhood friend, it's a window of an opportunity if there ever was one. A chance to maybe not restart over, but to play a more pivotal part of where he matters. Where theatrics aside, the spotlight could very well shine on him. I was here for it - I was rooting for it - I wanted it to work out for him. I was watching their friendship blossom - noting all the points that hinted that something meaningful was stirring - that this was Leo's chance to find someone who saw him truly for who he was. 🥺 'It felt like permission to be happy.' So much felt like this was the reassuring sign that all that has led Leo to be the person that he is now - with all the doubts and insecurities about his job, his appearance, his relationships - his life could have more meaning to have a future that defined a change in him by taking a chance on a change... And I was beyond ecstatic to see how it goes... ❤️🩹❤️🩹
“I think that’s all some of us want, sometimes, to know the space we take up is valuable, that someone would care if we weren’t in it.”
A little bit beyond the halfway point, something happened - a shift in the plot that not only did I not expect - it was one I did not like. The more I read the madder I got - yes, this, too was another note I jotted down in between all the quotes I had marked. The subject of the story suddenly became one of life lessons on relationship experience, which almost seemed as if it was trying to forgive the misgivings of those who made Leo feel as unimportant and unloved as he did. 😟 I know you'll say it is more important to have a realistic portrayal of life, but the way that it happened - did it not defeat the whole purpose of why Leo wanted to be the one who mattered for once? When in fact, he was somehow ending up right where he started in the first place? 😕
Almost as if saying the people you have always known are the only ones who are going to be there for you? 'I’d never been enough. I just wanted someone to tell me, you’re good, you’re done, I like you the way you are.' And don't get me started on that ending -- the ending which completely came out of nowhere, without preamble or without a realistic build-up considering how nothing that took place in the story indicated such a shift, that if you ask me - completely defeats the purpose of what Leo wanted of himself. 😩
For the first time, he wanted to be the leading man of his story - of a life that he could make on his own without the help of the two best friends, who frankly, were ones I would NOT want to be with at all, considering how many grievances he had against them - not to mention how they even even treated him in the story. I did not like the message of the story; I thought it was a romcom, but I would not say that it was, judging by how it ended. It made me upset and it left me so unsatisfied at how even abruptly it concluded. 'Life is complicated and love is not electricity; you can’t just switch it off and sit in the dark.' 😐 It was such an engaging read at the start, one that I could find so many qualities that made it worth my while, but that unsavory ending, not to mention the whole build up to it, completely eradicated all my good feelings for it - souring my mood completely. And the fact that I read this nearly three months ago and had no desire to re-read it again - since Goodreads had not yet uploaded the book to their server - goes to show just how much the memory of disappointment still lingers so very clearly for me. 😢
*Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 2, 2024
4 stars. Witty, incisively written, and humorous in a way I wasn't expecting, I went into Leading Man expecting a romcom and came out with food for thought.
May 9, 2024
4 Stars!
Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for an earc in exchange for an honest review.
Okay I've had time to process this in full and I've gone backwards and forwards, and for now it's a 4 star rating. There is so much to process with this, because you have Leo/Lion/Dandelion and the story progresses throughout the year of him entering a new relationship after being single for a veryyyy long period of time due a very toxic ex. And by toxic I mean he was in an abusive relationship that he never really spoke up about to anyone.
I genuinely found Leo to be a very endearing character, I think he knows where he stands and accepts himself for who he is done in very self deprecating ways that I think some people will find relatable. The thing is, I feel that this is partly due to his relationship with Peter and the effect it's had on him.
We see his friendship with both Daisy and Tam and I just... it didn't really hit for me, like at all. I found them both to be low key selfish and I didn't really find either to be likable. They both clearly had their own issues and things going on but I think that in friendship groups that seem to be as solid as there's they should know when a friend is in distress and has something going on (but that's just me).
Leo and Harveys relationship was something else entirely. When you see them first start dating you believe that it's going to be a second chance romance and I was kind of happy that he had someone pushing him to do new things and put himself out there. HOWEVER, the more I read the more alarm bells were being raised and you could see Harvey wasn't everything that he seemed.
Then there's Alex, and I actually liked him BUT again there were some things that I just didn't like. I liked that he was kind of a safe space and listened to Leo and he was someone he could talk to. The thing is though, it was bits in between with boundaries and things like that where I was a bit icky.
The subject matter itself is something that really needs to be talked about more often and I think it was done in a way where parts of it were very subtle but it could be very eye opening for a lot of people.
It's a really weird one because I didn't like a lot of the characters, but I really really really liked Leo and you got such a sense for who he is that it's hard for me to rate this anything less. I do have to say that the ending for me just was such a miss. I think if there'd of been more signs or *something* but for me it just felt very out of the blue, and I just yeah...
Overall I think this was a book where the main character really drove the book for me, if I hadn't of liked Leo so much I don't know if this would be as a high of a rating, but here we are!
---------
This is a very quick mini review, but I think I need to *really* think about my thoughts and feels for this because overall I think it was a pretty great book with lots of important matters BUT I really really realllllllllly didn’t like the ending 😭
Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for an earc in exchange for an honest review.
Okay I've had time to process this in full and I've gone backwards and forwards, and for now it's a 4 star rating. There is so much to process with this, because you have Leo/Lion/Dandelion and the story progresses throughout the year of him entering a new relationship after being single for a veryyyy long period of time due a very toxic ex. And by toxic I mean he was in an abusive relationship that he never really spoke up about to anyone.
I genuinely found Leo to be a very endearing character, I think he knows where he stands and accepts himself for who he is done in very self deprecating ways that I think some people will find relatable. The thing is, I feel that this is partly due to his relationship with Peter and the effect it's had on him.
We see his friendship with both Daisy and Tam and I just... it didn't really hit for me, like at all. I found them both to be low key selfish and I didn't really find either to be likable. They both clearly had their own issues and things going on but I think that in friendship groups that seem to be as solid as there's they should know when a friend is in distress and has something going on (but that's just me).
Leo and Harveys relationship was something else entirely. When you see them first start dating you believe that it's going to be a second chance romance and I was kind of happy that he had someone pushing him to do new things and put himself out there. HOWEVER, the more I read the more alarm bells were being raised and you could see Harvey wasn't everything that he seemed.
Then there's Alex, and I actually liked him BUT again there were some things that I just didn't like. I liked that he was kind of a safe space and listened to Leo and he was someone he could talk to. The thing is though, it was bits in between with boundaries and things like that where I was a bit icky.
The subject matter itself is something that really needs to be talked about more often and I think it was done in a way where parts of it were very subtle but it could be very eye opening for a lot of people.
It's a really weird one because I didn't like a lot of the characters, but I really really really liked Leo and you got such a sense for who he is that it's hard for me to rate this anything less. I do have to say that the ending for me just was such a miss. I think if there'd of been more signs or *something* but for me it just felt very out of the blue, and I just yeah...
Overall I think this was a book where the main character really drove the book for me, if I hadn't of liked Leo so much I don't know if this would be as a high of a rating, but here we are!
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This is a very quick mini review, but I think I need to *really* think about my thoughts and feels for this because overall I think it was a pretty great book with lots of important matters BUT I really really realllllllllly didn’t like the ending 😭
April 28, 2024
This book was a really great read - not at all what I was expecting! It’s marketed as a rom-com but I think it’s so much more than that - yes there is romance and there are definitely some funny bits, but at its heart, it’s a book about a 30-something Scottish gay man and his 30-something friends struggling with life, love and healing.
Leo Falconer is a drama teacher and cardigan enthusiast. He doesn’t drink, loves musicals and is happy to be the supporting actor in his own life. Leo has a lot of hangups - he doesn’t like the way he looks and compares himself to others a lot, he has low self-esteem which his covers with humour, and he doesn’t drink due to gaslighting by a horrendous ex. In fact, his relationship with his ex and the abuse his suffered at his hands colours a lot of the relationship he has in this book.
Watching Leo realise his true worth and untangling the mess that has been his dating history is really lovely to watch. I also enjoyed the side characters’ struggles that are happening - Tam and Daisy are Leo’s best friends. Daisy is in a dying relationship with a man who is never going to commit, and Tam is fretting over his upcoming marriage and using retail therapy to cope.
Read Leading Man for:
✨ Drama teacher with low esteem but high humour
✨ Coping with recovering from an abusive relationship
✨ Chaotic group of friends with issues
✨ Emotional drama, cheating, gaslighting
✨ He just wants to put on a school show
✨ Hopeful ending 💕
This book is a fab read for anyone who likes contemporary romance about healing and becoming yourself after trauma, plus chaotic friendship groups fuelled by drama and Sauvignon Blanc. Also for anyone who has ever been a teacher, something about Leo spending his whole Christmas holiday trying to organise his schoolwork gave me PTSD flashbacks, IYKYK 🤣
Many thanks to the author and NetGalley for an ARC of this book ✨
Leo Falconer is a drama teacher and cardigan enthusiast. He doesn’t drink, loves musicals and is happy to be the supporting actor in his own life. Leo has a lot of hangups - he doesn’t like the way he looks and compares himself to others a lot, he has low self-esteem which his covers with humour, and he doesn’t drink due to gaslighting by a horrendous ex. In fact, his relationship with his ex and the abuse his suffered at his hands colours a lot of the relationship he has in this book.
Watching Leo realise his true worth and untangling the mess that has been his dating history is really lovely to watch. I also enjoyed the side characters’ struggles that are happening - Tam and Daisy are Leo’s best friends. Daisy is in a dying relationship with a man who is never going to commit, and Tam is fretting over his upcoming marriage and using retail therapy to cope.
Read Leading Man for:
✨ Drama teacher with low esteem but high humour
✨ Coping with recovering from an abusive relationship
✨ Chaotic group of friends with issues
✨ Emotional drama, cheating, gaslighting
✨ He just wants to put on a school show
✨ Hopeful ending 💕
This book is a fab read for anyone who likes contemporary romance about healing and becoming yourself after trauma, plus chaotic friendship groups fuelled by drama and Sauvignon Blanc. Also for anyone who has ever been a teacher, something about Leo spending his whole Christmas holiday trying to organise his schoolwork gave me PTSD flashbacks, IYKYK 🤣
Many thanks to the author and NetGalley for an ARC of this book ✨
May 1, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC!
I went into this book thinking it was going to be a fun easygoing rom com, and actually it turned out to be more emotionally driven, exploring the complexities of friendships, romantic relationships and self worth- my favourite kind of book.
Please definitely look up trigger warnings beforehand as the book does delve into several serious topics such as domestic abuse, sexual harassment, infidelity and abortion.
The characters were interesting, and honestly I never really knew how I felt about all them- it was very much a rollercoaster, but I also liked that I never had a set opinion on them. Apart from Mica- I loved Mica throughout and I will not hear a bad word about her.
I think the feeling of being a side character in other people’s lives is so relatable, and I could really resonate with aspects of Leo’s story. But also, I kept wanting to shout at him to see what’s happening in front of him, to make him realise!! This is a good reflection of reality because how many times have we not realised what is going on until you have the beauty of hindsight?
The only thing I will say is that the ending of the story is not necessarily what I wanted for Leo, but still it doesn’t take away from the book.
Overall it’s a 4 star book for me and I would definitely read more from the author!
I went into this book thinking it was going to be a fun easygoing rom com, and actually it turned out to be more emotionally driven, exploring the complexities of friendships, romantic relationships and self worth- my favourite kind of book.
Please definitely look up trigger warnings beforehand as the book does delve into several serious topics such as domestic abuse, sexual harassment, infidelity and abortion.
The characters were interesting, and honestly I never really knew how I felt about all them- it was very much a rollercoaster, but I also liked that I never had a set opinion on them. Apart from Mica- I loved Mica throughout and I will not hear a bad word about her.
I think the feeling of being a side character in other people’s lives is so relatable, and I could really resonate with aspects of Leo’s story. But also, I kept wanting to shout at him to see what’s happening in front of him, to make him realise!! This is a good reflection of reality because how many times have we not realised what is going on until you have the beauty of hindsight?
The only thing I will say is that the ending of the story is not necessarily what I wanted for Leo, but still it doesn’t take away from the book.
Overall it’s a 4 star book for me and I would definitely read more from the author!
June 25, 2024
When I read the synopsis, I really thought I’d love Leading Man by Justin Myers, but something just didn’t work for me. It’s not completely awful, but I just really struggled to engage with any of the characters.
Leo is okay as a protagonist, but I feel like I didn’t really warm to him. He’s mildly sympathetic, but as he didn’t capture my affections early, I was quite disengaged as the story went on. It’s kind of why I struggled to see why all these men were fighting over him when he didn’t seem that much of a catch.
I found his two friends incredibly annoying, and I found myself questioning why he was friends with them in the first place. The only likeable character seemed to be his work friend, but even then, it was in short bursts. In fact, all of his love interests were also obnoxious so I’m not entirely sure how we were supposed to care about anything that happened.
I know it’s technically not billed as a romance, but the relationship between him and Harvey is a huge focus of the book, and I just didn’t buy it from page one… where was the connection? Where was the chemistry? Where was the romantic development? He mentioned how he was waiting for him to say I love you, and I was left thinking, “Really? Already? But you’ve only been together two minutes.” I just don’t think Myers showed the passing of time successfully, because I hasn’t realised they been together for any length of time.
I really didn’t enjoy the ending and the so called ‘plot twist.’ I thought it was actually a bit ridiculous and unnecessary. In fact, it came so much out of the blue, that it didn’t make any sense with what we know about the characters or any of the growth or development they may have done to that point.
Finally, because it became such an annoyance throughout the book, I have to mention the overuse of his nicknames; Dandelion and Lion. Yes, I’m aware the author was attaching meaning to them, and the names themselves don’t bother me, but they were said far too often in conversation that it seemed unnatural and it became irritating.
Overall, I just found it dull and disappointing.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this novel in exchange for a honest review.
Leo is okay as a protagonist, but I feel like I didn’t really warm to him. He’s mildly sympathetic, but as he didn’t capture my affections early, I was quite disengaged as the story went on. It’s kind of why I struggled to see why all these men were fighting over him when he didn’t seem that much of a catch.
I found his two friends incredibly annoying, and I found myself questioning why he was friends with them in the first place. The only likeable character seemed to be his work friend, but even then, it was in short bursts. In fact, all of his love interests were also obnoxious so I’m not entirely sure how we were supposed to care about anything that happened.
I know it’s technically not billed as a romance, but the relationship between him and Harvey is a huge focus of the book, and I just didn’t buy it from page one… where was the connection? Where was the chemistry? Where was the romantic development? He mentioned how he was waiting for him to say I love you, and I was left thinking, “Really? Already? But you’ve only been together two minutes.” I just don’t think Myers showed the passing of time successfully, because I hasn’t realised they been together for any length of time.
I really didn’t enjoy the ending and the so called ‘plot twist.’ I thought it was actually a bit ridiculous and unnecessary. In fact, it came so much out of the blue, that it didn’t make any sense with what we know about the characters or any of the growth or development they may have done to that point.
Finally, because it became such an annoyance throughout the book, I have to mention the overuse of his nicknames; Dandelion and Lion. Yes, I’m aware the author was attaching meaning to them, and the names themselves don’t bother me, but they were said far too often in conversation that it seemed unnatural and it became irritating.
Overall, I just found it dull and disappointing.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this novel in exchange for a honest review.
July 16, 2024
A really tricky one to sum up in a couple of sentences!
Read for a book club as I’d pretty much never pick up a romance without a personal recommendation - but I am glad I read it! It had a lot of heart and felt incredibly real from start to finish, but unfortunately something about the way the story fit together didn’t feel fulfilling at all. And GOD did I hate the twist ending.
Characters were intensely human in their shortcomings, but perhaps this somehow made them a little too easy to hate - especially Leo’s friends, who seem to only get worse throughout. Leo was the kind of protagonist who feels broadly likeable but more and more frustrating to read the further into the book you get. The humour of the book does shine though: no properly laugh-out-loud moments for me, but it was really heavily peppered with witty lines throughout.
All in all, I’d say Leading Man would be a good beach/holiday read. The author does a good job of balancing romance tropes with an unpredictable plot and overall it was an enjoyable read. Somewhere between 3 and 3.5 stars for me.
Read for a book club as I’d pretty much never pick up a romance without a personal recommendation - but I am glad I read it! It had a lot of heart and felt incredibly real from start to finish, but unfortunately something about the way the story fit together didn’t feel fulfilling at all. And GOD did I hate the twist ending.
Characters were intensely human in their shortcomings, but perhaps this somehow made them a little too easy to hate - especially Leo’s friends, who seem to only get worse throughout. Leo was the kind of protagonist who feels broadly likeable but more and more frustrating to read the further into the book you get. The humour of the book does shine though: no properly laugh-out-loud moments for me, but it was really heavily peppered with witty lines throughout.
All in all, I’d say Leading Man would be a good beach/holiday read. The author does a good job of balancing romance tropes with an unpredictable plot and overall it was an enjoyable read. Somewhere between 3 and 3.5 stars for me.
June 23, 2024
Enjoyable read. Quite slow paced I found but that relaxed vibe wasn't a hugely bad thing. I enjoyed reading it.
August 24, 2025
Absolutely wild, wonderful and warming!
July 12, 2025
J'ai eu des doutes et le début de ma lecture a été assez difficile, mais, après la lecture de plusieurs de ses livres, j'aurais dû savoir que je pouvais faire confiance à Justin Myers. Je ne lis pas de rom-coms ordinairement, mais il est très doué dans ce qu'il fait, et l'histoire ici était bien plus complexe et engageante qu'il n'y paraissait au début du livre. J'ai rapidement eu envie de savoir la fin, mes suppositions n'ont pas été les bonnes et j'ai été satisfait du message qui ressort de l'intrigue. Je vais continuer à suivre Justin Myers et à acheter ses prochains livres.
August 8, 2025
I related to this book perhaps to much. A beautiful and emotional read
May 26, 2025
Broadly, I loved this. Myers is an incredibly enjoyable writer, whose prose is eminently readable and who dialogue works really well. The plot is good and compelling, and is surprisingly thought-provoking; I ended up getting rather introspective and existential at times.
Obviously all of this is leading to a ‘but’. And for most readers, it wouldn’t be a ‘but’ at all.
But…
There are many things I know about, but two things I know an awful lot about. One is how working in schools works. Myers seems to get a lot of these things wrong, but most people do so that’s forgivable.
But…
Leo describes himself as a Sondheim nut. Other characters do the same. The text explicitly mentions the 2018 revival of company and how he’s memorised every microsecond of that production at the expense of other core memories. I too am a Sondheim nut. A Company one, specifically. My wedding vows were taken from its lyrics. The 2018 revival is something I think about as mush as the Donmar revival, which is a lot. I don’t want to give any spoilers for the book away, BUT THERE IS NO WAY ON EARTH THAT THE NOVEL’S FINAL SCENE WOULD PLAY OUT WITH LEO MAKING REFERENCE TO COMANY AND A PARTICULAR KEY SCENE IF NOT OUT LOUD BUT AT THE VERY LEAST IN HIS HEAD.
Obviously all of this is leading to a ‘but’. And for most readers, it wouldn’t be a ‘but’ at all.
But…
There are many things I know about, but two things I know an awful lot about. One is how working in schools works. Myers seems to get a lot of these things wrong, but most people do so that’s forgivable.
But…
Leo describes himself as a Sondheim nut. Other characters do the same. The text explicitly mentions the 2018 revival of company and how he’s memorised every microsecond of that production at the expense of other core memories. I too am a Sondheim nut. A Company one, specifically. My wedding vows were taken from its lyrics. The 2018 revival is something I think about as mush as the Donmar revival, which is a lot. I don’t want to give any spoilers for the book away, BUT THERE IS NO WAY ON EARTH THAT THE NOVEL’S FINAL SCENE WOULD PLAY OUT WITH LEO MAKING REFERENCE TO COMANY AND A PARTICULAR KEY SCENE IF NOT OUT LOUD BUT AT THE VERY LEAST IN HIS HEAD.
August 5, 2025
An author who doesn’t quite get the leading role
This is a hard book to review. The reason being is that as a book, it was fairly well written… for the most part. The prose was good, the characters were well formed and well captured on the page, and the pacing was spot on. But did I like it…? No. I just did not find the reading experience enjoyable. Now I have read many angsty books and some very dark and sad books, but as an emotional experience I usually enjoyed them even if they left me feeling sad at the end. But not this book.
I think the main problem was that I struggled with Leo. As a narrator he was very insightful as to what he should be doing or what he should say, but as a character it was quite hard to be sympathetic with him in the second half of the book. When reading a book I know you don’t have to like a character or the creative choices the author makes when writing about them. But there has to be something that lets you connect with the central protagonist in some way. And for a while, I had that with Leo. However, part way through the book I started to loose sympathy with Leo as I felt the elements of coercive control we saw in his friends we were starting to see in the author and how he was writing the character. I know this sounds odd but I felt hat the character of Leo was being exploited by the author for HIS own ends as a narrator. Much like we saw with Leo and his boyfriend, Leo and his friends and family, I started to see with Leo and the author. That he was using Leo to fix the things that were wrong with the book. The author just did not have a satisfactory ending and so the Leo character was being manipulated to make one appear.
For so much of the book the author pointed out all the ways Leo was exploited or coerced into doing or being someone he was not. He repeatedly pointed out what he should be saying, through Leo’s inner monologue, but then would show him say or do exactly what everyone expected him to say or do. And all this I get. I understand why the author wanted to show us this and point out how much Leo struggled with the confidence to openly express his true thoughts and feelings. But what I struggled with was how little time the author spent showing us how he overcame it. The long time it takes to undo years of conditioned behaviour. For some reason the author kept Leo in this mind set until the very end of the book when he suddenly flipped him 180 degrees and turned him into the brave champion who was suddenly able to stand up for himself. And this massively disappointed me in the book.
As a writer the author should have allowed more on-page time writing about the character on his journey of change. But we really did not get to see this. Given how Leo had been written about up to this point I struggled to accept that he would suddenly develop the ability to be a confident person able to stand up for himself. It is not simply a case of the straw suddenly breaking the camel’s back, and voila! suddenly everything is all right in his life. Changing a mindset like Leo’s is more likely a case of two steps forward, one step back, and it certainly wouldn’t happen overnight. It would take a long time of working at things to be able to do what Leo eventually did. But instead the author shows him stand up to not one, not two but three people who have been trying to control who he is or should be, and it felt almost instantaneous. And then the final twist that appears in the last chapter (which I won’t detail here because of errr… spoilers) was really the final nail in the coffin for me as the author used this “revelation” to draw the book to a close, effectively saying… “and they all lived happily ever after”. This was so unsatisfying and left me really disappointed with the book. I felt the same with Alex Hall’s “Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble”. Here was a book that also didn’t spend enough time showing the mental health recovery/management process.
I find that with some authors it is very easy for them to write about the effects of poor mental health, but they never seem to give enough time to the process of managing it. It is as if they just want to sweep that process itself under the carpet but I think it is as valuable as talking about mental health issues. Particularly given some of your readers may be feeling the same as your characters and an honest depiction of managing the process is as important as an honest depiction of the issue. And for that reason I was very disappointed with this book.
This is a hard book to review. The reason being is that as a book, it was fairly well written… for the most part. The prose was good, the characters were well formed and well captured on the page, and the pacing was spot on. But did I like it…? No. I just did not find the reading experience enjoyable. Now I have read many angsty books and some very dark and sad books, but as an emotional experience I usually enjoyed them even if they left me feeling sad at the end. But not this book.
I think the main problem was that I struggled with Leo. As a narrator he was very insightful as to what he should be doing or what he should say, but as a character it was quite hard to be sympathetic with him in the second half of the book. When reading a book I know you don’t have to like a character or the creative choices the author makes when writing about them. But there has to be something that lets you connect with the central protagonist in some way. And for a while, I had that with Leo. However, part way through the book I started to loose sympathy with Leo as I felt the elements of coercive control we saw in his friends we were starting to see in the author and how he was writing the character. I know this sounds odd but I felt hat the character of Leo was being exploited by the author for HIS own ends as a narrator. Much like we saw with Leo and his boyfriend, Leo and his friends and family, I started to see with Leo and the author. That he was using Leo to fix the things that were wrong with the book. The author just did not have a satisfactory ending and so the Leo character was being manipulated to make one appear.
For so much of the book the author pointed out all the ways Leo was exploited or coerced into doing or being someone he was not. He repeatedly pointed out what he should be saying, through Leo’s inner monologue, but then would show him say or do exactly what everyone expected him to say or do. And all this I get. I understand why the author wanted to show us this and point out how much Leo struggled with the confidence to openly express his true thoughts and feelings. But what I struggled with was how little time the author spent showing us how he overcame it. The long time it takes to undo years of conditioned behaviour. For some reason the author kept Leo in this mind set until the very end of the book when he suddenly flipped him 180 degrees and turned him into the brave champion who was suddenly able to stand up for himself. And this massively disappointed me in the book.
As a writer the author should have allowed more on-page time writing about the character on his journey of change. But we really did not get to see this. Given how Leo had been written about up to this point I struggled to accept that he would suddenly develop the ability to be a confident person able to stand up for himself. It is not simply a case of the straw suddenly breaking the camel’s back, and voila! suddenly everything is all right in his life. Changing a mindset like Leo’s is more likely a case of two steps forward, one step back, and it certainly wouldn’t happen overnight. It would take a long time of working at things to be able to do what Leo eventually did. But instead the author shows him stand up to not one, not two but three people who have been trying to control who he is or should be, and it felt almost instantaneous. And then the final twist that appears in the last chapter (which I won’t detail here because of errr… spoilers) was really the final nail in the coffin for me as the author used this “revelation” to draw the book to a close, effectively saying… “and they all lived happily ever after”. This was so unsatisfying and left me really disappointed with the book. I felt the same with Alex Hall’s “Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble”. Here was a book that also didn’t spend enough time showing the mental health recovery/management process.
I find that with some authors it is very easy for them to write about the effects of poor mental health, but they never seem to give enough time to the process of managing it. It is as if they just want to sweep that process itself under the carpet but I think it is as valuable as talking about mental health issues. Particularly given some of your readers may be feeling the same as your characters and an honest depiction of managing the process is as important as an honest depiction of the issue. And for that reason I was very disappointed with this book.
May 2, 2024
I increasingly think the shouty blurbs publishers give books are unhelpful. 'Hilarious and relatable coming of age story' it says on Amazon for this one.
Now, first off, there are some great gags in this, as you might expect. Myers is effortlessly witty (or looks it - I recognise that to look effortless at anything takes practice as well as chops) and his humour always works for me on a number of levels, which I find very satisfying. But I don't think 'hilarious' is the best description. There's a lot more to it than the laughs. There are some convincingly dark elements to this book, and it made me feel quite tense in places. (That's a good thing, I'm not complaining. It makes this kind of book feel much more realistic.) This felt like a step up from The Fake-Up (a book I enjoyed, although I prefer his first two) in terms of the writing and the story.
Like Mhairi Macfarlane, Myers writes good friendship groups, even if sometimes you might not like all the friends as much as they like each other. Leo's friends are Daisy and Tam, who both drink quite a lot (Leo does not) and are, in his view, more like main characters than he is. Leo is not a leading man, and he's fine with this, or mostly fine. There's some good stuff in here about they way that it's sometimes hard to imagine hot people having problems, even when those hot people are your mates and their problems are quite clear.
Leo is tall, and awkward, and can never see what anyone would see in him, although he seems funny and kind and is, I think, a good teacher. (He teaches drama at a secondary school.) He has a big inferiority complex about his looks while acknowledging that this is silly. Or - not silly - but that he shouldn't mind about it. This is nicely done, and for anyone who is not hot (most of us, right) his feelings are relatable.
He tries hard to live up to the expectations of his new fella, who is sporty - or 'active' - in a slightly opressive way. He avoids thinking about his ex and tries not to be bitter that his mum is still friends with him. He's never told anyone exactly what happened with Peter, and increasingly you feel like maybe it would be a good idea if he had, or did. (Peter is a piece of work all right.) The inclination to avoid picking over your life by pretending it isn't interesting is also something I recognise, especially if you have main character mates who live for drama.
I really wasn't sure what was going to happen as I was reading - I came up with a number of potential scenarios, some of which were close-but-no-cigar, and the denouement was quite surprising. But I did enjoy the way it made me reconsider some previous conversations and events.
Leo is a very likeable protagonist and you really do want things to work out for him. 'The Bastille Day Ideal' may be a relationship fantasy but there's no reason why he shouldn't have people be nice to him. That really isn't too much to ask. If this means facing up to some hard truths about his past he should probably get on with it.
(This is not a coming of age story, by the way. The characters are like, 34.)
Now, first off, there are some great gags in this, as you might expect. Myers is effortlessly witty (or looks it - I recognise that to look effortless at anything takes practice as well as chops) and his humour always works for me on a number of levels, which I find very satisfying. But I don't think 'hilarious' is the best description. There's a lot more to it than the laughs. There are some convincingly dark elements to this book, and it made me feel quite tense in places. (That's a good thing, I'm not complaining. It makes this kind of book feel much more realistic.) This felt like a step up from The Fake-Up (a book I enjoyed, although I prefer his first two) in terms of the writing and the story.
Like Mhairi Macfarlane, Myers writes good friendship groups, even if sometimes you might not like all the friends as much as they like each other. Leo's friends are Daisy and Tam, who both drink quite a lot (Leo does not) and are, in his view, more like main characters than he is. Leo is not a leading man, and he's fine with this, or mostly fine. There's some good stuff in here about they way that it's sometimes hard to imagine hot people having problems, even when those hot people are your mates and their problems are quite clear.
Leo is tall, and awkward, and can never see what anyone would see in him, although he seems funny and kind and is, I think, a good teacher. (He teaches drama at a secondary school.) He has a big inferiority complex about his looks while acknowledging that this is silly. Or - not silly - but that he shouldn't mind about it. This is nicely done, and for anyone who is not hot (most of us, right) his feelings are relatable.
He tries hard to live up to the expectations of his new fella, who is sporty - or 'active' - in a slightly opressive way. He avoids thinking about his ex and tries not to be bitter that his mum is still friends with him. He's never told anyone exactly what happened with Peter, and increasingly you feel like maybe it would be a good idea if he had, or did. (Peter is a piece of work all right.) The inclination to avoid picking over your life by pretending it isn't interesting is also something I recognise, especially if you have main character mates who live for drama.
I really wasn't sure what was going to happen as I was reading - I came up with a number of potential scenarios, some of which were close-but-no-cigar, and the denouement was quite surprising. But I did enjoy the way it made me reconsider some previous conversations and events.
Leo is a very likeable protagonist and you really do want things to work out for him. 'The Bastille Day Ideal' may be a relationship fantasy but there's no reason why he shouldn't have people be nice to him. That really isn't too much to ask. If this means facing up to some hard truths about his past he should probably get on with it.
(This is not a coming of age story, by the way. The characters are like, 34.)
May 1, 2024
4.5 rounded down. Well... I really didn't think we would end up there... not that I can explain what I mean... but... hmmm... sometimes it's more about the journey than the destination and I really really enjoyed the journey this book took me on. But still not 100% sure about the ultimate ending, hence the rounding down...
So... Leo, Lion, Dandelion, a man of many nicknames but one who prefers to keep his cards close. He's a drama teacher, has a bestie at work, and two long term friends - Daisy and Tam - all who feature heavily in the book, and with whom Leo has somewhat differing relations with.
We learn early on that Lea has his issues, mostly around self esteem and previous failed relationships. He is a people pleaser, which as I know myself, is a bit exhausting. But he hides himself so well that he never really shows his true self, meaning that, his true self is also lost to him. I guess this is kinda his coming of age novel. We follow him through many scenes with his friends, through a new relationship with childhood-friend-met-again Harvey, dissect an old relationship with Pete, follow him at work where he is faced with a new boss, and some added pressure to perform. We also meet his family... and learn why he no longer drinks.
I loved this book. It did take me a wee while to get into but I wasn't put off as I have read and loved all three of this author's previous offerings. I actually feel a little mean rounding down this time just cos the ending wasn't to my liking but I will also add that, personally, I couldn't really see this ending coming. It came right out of left field for me, but I guess maybe I missed some foreshadowing. Dunno. Just irked me a tad. I'd be interested to hear others' thoughts on it all though.
Anyway... This book had it all. It ran the whole gamut of emotions through the cast and me as the reader. I laughed with him, I cried with him. I occasionally wanted to give him a hug, and maybe a wee mental slap. I really fell for him as a character, and was sad to have to leave him at the end of the book. Especially with how it ended. He might have got his closure, I was left wondering...
As well as a lot of poignant, occasionally heavy, stuff going on, there are also some very funny moments in this book. And some cracking lines. You'll know when you get to one. But it matched by sense of humour very well indeed. Especially some of self-deprecation, a topic I know only too well, sigh.
What I also found quite interesting is that my own opinion of the supporting cast changed along with the scales coming off Leo's eyes. As he started to see through certain people, see another side of them, that really came through in the writing. I'm almost tempted to change my rounding down to up for that alone! But not quite.
All in all, another winner from an author who is now firmly cemented on my favourites list. With all he has delivered in the past, I really can't wait to see what he will serve up for next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
So... Leo, Lion, Dandelion, a man of many nicknames but one who prefers to keep his cards close. He's a drama teacher, has a bestie at work, and two long term friends - Daisy and Tam - all who feature heavily in the book, and with whom Leo has somewhat differing relations with.
We learn early on that Lea has his issues, mostly around self esteem and previous failed relationships. He is a people pleaser, which as I know myself, is a bit exhausting. But he hides himself so well that he never really shows his true self, meaning that, his true self is also lost to him. I guess this is kinda his coming of age novel. We follow him through many scenes with his friends, through a new relationship with childhood-friend-met-again Harvey, dissect an old relationship with Pete, follow him at work where he is faced with a new boss, and some added pressure to perform. We also meet his family... and learn why he no longer drinks.
I loved this book. It did take me a wee while to get into but I wasn't put off as I have read and loved all three of this author's previous offerings. I actually feel a little mean rounding down this time just cos the ending wasn't to my liking but I will also add that, personally, I couldn't really see this ending coming. It came right out of left field for me, but I guess maybe I missed some foreshadowing. Dunno. Just irked me a tad. I'd be interested to hear others' thoughts on it all though.
Anyway... This book had it all. It ran the whole gamut of emotions through the cast and me as the reader. I laughed with him, I cried with him. I occasionally wanted to give him a hug, and maybe a wee mental slap. I really fell for him as a character, and was sad to have to leave him at the end of the book. Especially with how it ended. He might have got his closure, I was left wondering...
As well as a lot of poignant, occasionally heavy, stuff going on, there are also some very funny moments in this book. And some cracking lines. You'll know when you get to one. But it matched by sense of humour very well indeed. Especially some of self-deprecation, a topic I know only too well, sigh.
What I also found quite interesting is that my own opinion of the supporting cast changed along with the scales coming off Leo's eyes. As he started to see through certain people, see another side of them, that really came through in the writing. I'm almost tempted to change my rounding down to up for that alone! But not quite.
All in all, another winner from an author who is now firmly cemented on my favourites list. With all he has delivered in the past, I really can't wait to see what he will serve up for next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
April 30, 2024
Leo is the sidekick in everyone’s life, especially his friends’. He had a terrible break up and feels destined to not experience a relationship, sleeping around instead. His mum reunites him with a childhood friend, Harvey, and Leo feels he has really hit the jackpot with this perfect man. But this book is not a romance; this is an exploration of love, loss, trauma and identity.
I feel a little odd about this book. Partly this is my own fault for assuming it was a romance though I’d assume the blurb led me to believe that. This is actually a book about self discovery, abuse (physical and mental), friendship and the lack of, and identity. It’s a difficult read at many times, masked my humour that sometimes hits and sometimes doesn’t.
It takes turns I genuinely didn’t expect. The final page was a plot twist I absolutely didn’t see coming and to be honest didn’t feel needed to happen. I also felt we were living the same story multiple times with multiple partners which maybe was the point. I felt we didn’t deal with some of the friendships; I suppose in many ways this is a love letter to friends but there were some major friendship issues here that I felt were never addressed when partners were called out for the same thing.
As a musical theatre fan I did very much enjoy the sondheim references and west side story being someone’s favourite musical was the icing on the cake.
I think if you like witty writing, self deprecating humour, love friendship analysis, like romance but ultimately much prefer contemporary, you will like this book. There’s absolutely an audience for this I’m just sadly entirely it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I feel a little odd about this book. Partly this is my own fault for assuming it was a romance though I’d assume the blurb led me to believe that. This is actually a book about self discovery, abuse (physical and mental), friendship and the lack of, and identity. It’s a difficult read at many times, masked my humour that sometimes hits and sometimes doesn’t.
It takes turns I genuinely didn’t expect. The final page was a plot twist I absolutely didn’t see coming and to be honest didn’t feel needed to happen. I also felt we were living the same story multiple times with multiple partners which maybe was the point. I felt we didn’t deal with some of the friendships; I suppose in many ways this is a love letter to friends but there were some major friendship issues here that I felt were never addressed when partners were called out for the same thing.
As a musical theatre fan I did very much enjoy the sondheim references and west side story being someone’s favourite musical was the icing on the cake.
I think if you like witty writing, self deprecating humour, love friendship analysis, like romance but ultimately much prefer contemporary, you will like this book. There’s absolutely an audience for this I’m just sadly entirely it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.
January 16, 2025
Many thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for an arc of this book in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Leo is always in the background, and has never had 'main character energy', but when an old friend returns to tow, his ex makes an appearance, his new boss is pushing him and he starts questioning his friendships, he becomes the main character. Join him on that journey.
This is not a romance, its a coming of age novel, I'm not sure why it is marketed as a romance, as pretty much anyone going in expecting a romance wouldn't necessarily by the right market for this book. Leo is an interesting protagonist, half the time I'm not sure I really understood him, despite being in his head, so I found it quite difficult to engage and relate to him. His actions didn't always seem to fit with how he was being described either.
I also didn't care that much for the friendships throughout the book, and they were far too easily 'resolved' near the end for my liking. I think the darker themes of emotional and psychological abuse are dealt with really well in this, and I think without the last chapter I would have given this book 3.5 stars, but honestly, the last chapter just seemed to undo a lot of the growth that Leo had had though the book.
This was an easy read, and I did enjoy it hence 3 stars, but I don't quite know; it was missing something and came across a little lackluster to me.
Leo is always in the background, and has never had 'main character energy', but when an old friend returns to tow, his ex makes an appearance, his new boss is pushing him and he starts questioning his friendships, he becomes the main character. Join him on that journey.
This is not a romance, its a coming of age novel, I'm not sure why it is marketed as a romance, as pretty much anyone going in expecting a romance wouldn't necessarily by the right market for this book. Leo is an interesting protagonist, half the time I'm not sure I really understood him, despite being in his head, so I found it quite difficult to engage and relate to him. His actions didn't always seem to fit with how he was being described either.
I also didn't care that much for the friendships throughout the book, and they were far too easily 'resolved' near the end for my liking. I think the darker themes of emotional and psychological abuse are dealt with really well in this, and I think without the last chapter I would have given this book 3.5 stars, but honestly, the last chapter just seemed to undo a lot of the growth that Leo had had though the book.
This was an easy read, and I did enjoy it hence 3 stars, but I don't quite know; it was missing something and came across a little lackluster to me.
May 11, 2024
As usual, Justin Myers has written engaging characters with brilliant humour, humility and heart. Leading Man is funny, heartfelt and full of meaning.
Teacher Leo has recently come out of a disastrous relationship with a man his mother still adores and keeps in touch with. He has low self-esteem, and is always belittling himself and comparing himself to his friends. He's fairly newly sober, so the dynamic with his old friends Tam and Daisy has changed. He believes he's set to live life from the outside looking in, until a childhood friend returns to Edinburgh.
So, he starts a relationship with Harvey, and learns a lot about himself and the people he surrounds himself with along the way.
Leo was loveable and relatable, and mildly infuriating as he continued to fall into his routine of not believing he's good enough.
Myers has a skill for creating real characters, and this includes the less than loveable people Leo finds along the way.
The ending was pretty unexpected, but it wasn't unwelcome. The novel didn't go the way anyone would expect, and seemed to come slightly out of nowhere, but it made sense. Overall a wonderful read.
Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group and Netgalley for the ARC!
Teacher Leo has recently come out of a disastrous relationship with a man his mother still adores and keeps in touch with. He has low self-esteem, and is always belittling himself and comparing himself to his friends. He's fairly newly sober, so the dynamic with his old friends Tam and Daisy has changed. He believes he's set to live life from the outside looking in, until a childhood friend returns to Edinburgh.
So, he starts a relationship with Harvey, and learns a lot about himself and the people he surrounds himself with along the way.
Leo was loveable and relatable, and mildly infuriating as he continued to fall into his routine of not believing he's good enough.
Myers has a skill for creating real characters, and this includes the less than loveable people Leo finds along the way.
The ending was pretty unexpected, but it wasn't unwelcome. The novel didn't go the way anyone would expect, and seemed to come slightly out of nowhere, but it made sense. Overall a wonderful read.
Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group and Netgalley for the ARC!
May 12, 2024
This book was exactly the book I needed it to be. Having read this author's previous books, I was expecting a witty and engaging read and I was not disappointed. Leo is a particularly engaging character, and I wanted a happy ending for him particularly given his toxic ex and seemingly perfect, yet clearly far from perfect, red flag waving boyfriend. Whilst on the surface this may appear to be a romcom, it offers so much more with reflections on relationships and self worth. This was a thought provoking if at times, sometimes uncomfortable read due to what Leo was subjected to, yet cleverly written to ensure the book remained warm and ultimately uplifting as Leo learnt to value himself. The additional characters, all come over as fully rounded, if not always likable, although I loved Mica. The plot was engaging, and the writing was intelligent and witty and I loved this book. I know not all reviewers loved the ending but for me, it worked and avoided what might otherwise been a predictable ending. As it was, it ended with a sense of promise of what was to come and it was the ending Leo deserved. Overall a very enjoyable read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read.
May 17, 2024
The Leading Man was an interesting, witty and engaging read, and I will certainly pick up more books from this author.
It wasn’t the rom com I expected, and it did take me a little while to get into. This story is much more character focussed than it appears and I loved getting to know Leo. Whilst a very different story, it reminded me a lot of reading Bridget Jones Diary for the first time. Leo is vulnerable, human and is so relatable in his ‘side character’ state. There are some confronting situations in this story which I thought were handled insightfully, capturing the nuance and the emotional impact without resorting to melodrama, and maintaining a strong sense of hope.
The cast of characters around Leo were equally enthralling, and I enjoyed the experience of learning about their true characters along with Leo - it really made you start to doubt everything you knew. I wasn’t really fussed with the ending, but honestly this story was much more about Leo and his emotional and identity development, and on that the author really delivered.
Thank you Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.
It wasn’t the rom com I expected, and it did take me a little while to get into. This story is much more character focussed than it appears and I loved getting to know Leo. Whilst a very different story, it reminded me a lot of reading Bridget Jones Diary for the first time. Leo is vulnerable, human and is so relatable in his ‘side character’ state. There are some confronting situations in this story which I thought were handled insightfully, capturing the nuance and the emotional impact without resorting to melodrama, and maintaining a strong sense of hope.
The cast of characters around Leo were equally enthralling, and I enjoyed the experience of learning about their true characters along with Leo - it really made you start to doubt everything you knew. I wasn’t really fussed with the ending, but honestly this story was much more about Leo and his emotional and identity development, and on that the author really delivered.
Thank you Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.
April 3, 2025
I absolutely loved this rom com. I'm ashamed to say I'd never read a rom com with a gay protagonist before – but I had a gorgeous gay bestie in my uni years and we loved to swap dating stories. The main characters were charming, with a good supporting cast. It was laugh-out-loud funny. Great sense of humor and good storyline with twists and turns. TW: for those who have been in mentally and/or physically abusive relationships, it may be triggering because these abusive characters are drawn so well, but many brilliant rom-com authors such as Marian Keyes and Jojo Moyes tackle difficult subjects in more lighthearted novels. It was a Bridget Jones for the Edinburgh scene. I'd highly recommend it and will seek out more books from this author. The ending was a BIG surprise too. I didn't expect it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2024
Leading Man was a really fun read. A contemporary romance, 'finding yourself' story. We follow Leo, a teacher, a gay man, a friend, often existing in the background letting his friends take a leading role and not making a fuss. Through a tumultuous year of change, good and bad, Leo is able to face his past and figure out what he wants from the future. Leo is a really lifelike protagonist and I enjoyed seeing the world through his eyes. We see the people around him as he sees them to begin with, and as his perspective changes, so does ours.
Funny, relatable and engaging. Recommended to fans of modern, character-driven stories.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Funny, relatable and engaging. Recommended to fans of modern, character-driven stories.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
April 24, 2025
I loved this book! It was consistently not what I expected it to be. When I first picked it up I thought it would be a romcom, but it was much more complex than that. I also thought the main story would be Harvey lifting Leo out of his negative behaviour patterns, but it was much more complex than that too. I also didn’t see the twists with Alex and Tam’s characters coming!
The only bone I have to pick is that I honestly did think Daisy and Tam weren’t great friends and I felt like they were absolved of that by the end. I wished Leo had realised he needed to move on from those relationships and do his own thing. Still, loved the book and have been thinking about it a lot since finishing it.
The only bone I have to pick is that I honestly did think Daisy and Tam weren’t great friends and I felt like they were absolved of that by the end. I wished Leo had realised he needed to move on from those relationships and do his own thing. Still, loved the book and have been thinking about it a lot since finishing it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2025
Started and finished date - 31.08.25 to 03.09.25.
My rating - Three Stars.
This book was well written, and I enjoyed some parts of the book, but I didn’t love book. I think people who like more happy than not by Adam Silvera or history is all you left me by Adam Silvera may like is book. The cover was simple but stunning and I love it. The writing was pretty good, but it took me some time to get used to it also the ending was fine.
The atmosphere was okay but bit bland and the romance was fine but bit dull also it needed it be flash out bit more. The paced of plot was well structured and steady paced. The characters were fine, but I found it hard to connect to the characters, and they needed flash out bit more
My rating - Three Stars.
This book was well written, and I enjoyed some parts of the book, but I didn’t love book. I think people who like more happy than not by Adam Silvera or history is all you left me by Adam Silvera may like is book. The cover was simple but stunning and I love it. The writing was pretty good, but it took me some time to get used to it also the ending was fine.
The atmosphere was okay but bit bland and the romance was fine but bit dull also it needed it be flash out bit more. The paced of plot was well structured and steady paced. The characters were fine, but I found it hard to connect to the characters, and they needed flash out bit more
July 31, 2024
i don’t know where to start with this … i have mixed feelings about most characters in this. i did not like the protagonist for being so self deprecating (it gets annoying being around people like this), i did not like tam and daisy for most of the story for being so oblivious to Leo’s own issues (friends like this are a big no), and grew to also dislike harvey when i actually liked his character the most at the start. it was an interesting story but i don’t feel as though it was cohesive. the ending completely did a 180° also and contradicted all of the points that the second half of the book was trying to make? it felt a bit rushed, but i still enjoyed reading, and for that, 3 stars.
June 22, 2025
This was rather a slow build and for the first 100 pages or so very little happened amid a lot of froth and superficially drawn characters. However, it did build into something more interesting around controlling partners and bad relationships - even if the characterisation felt stereotyped and the tone often preachy. The issues about body image needed to be dealt with rather more convincingly. Quite readable overall if you can stick with it through the initial 100 pages, can put up with the heavy overuse of simile as a stylistic technique, and if you don’t mind seeing most of the plot development coming at you from a very long way off.
April 25, 2024
‘Leading Man’ by Justin Myers was captivating from the start with Leo's life and backstory. As a Drama Teacher myself, I found a personal connection to Leo, which enhanced my engagement with the story. Myers skillfully crafts Leo's hardships, providing fresh insights into his thoughts and actions. The dynamic characterisation kept me on my toes, oscillating between liking and disliking characters with each chapter. The twist at the end brings a satisfying conclusion, which left me smiling as I revelled in Leo's happy ending. Overall, ‘Leading Man’ is an enjoyable read that kept me thoroughly engrossed until the very end.
May 5, 2024
Unfortunately I did not find this book easy to engage with, despite the humorous aspects involved. I believe I was intrigued by the blurb however, for me, this excitement did not follow through. I did not connect with the characters and very quickly lost interest. However it wasn’t completely a miss, I did enjoy the development of the characters within the story and I think Leo has the potential to be quite a relatable character, even if this is not myself. I do believe that Leo is a realistic character though seen in everyday life due to his comparison of himself to others and the self-judgement he possesses. Overall I think this book would be a great read for others but for me it wasn’t unfortunately.
Favourite Quotes:
•”I wish I looked good wet. You know what I mean.”
•”Ah. There it came, that little extra effort to swallow…”
•”Her phone started going full angry vibrator in her hand.”
•”But I know now. It’s you, Leo.”
•”The future, the fallout, could wait.”
Favourite Quotes:
•”I wish I looked good wet. You know what I mean.”
•”Ah. There it came, that little extra effort to swallow…”
•”Her phone started going full angry vibrator in her hand.”
•”But I know now. It’s you, Leo.”
•”The future, the fallout, could wait.”
April 26, 2024
I couldn't connect to the story, characters, or writing style of this one at all. It just didn't work for me, it felt very hollow to me for some reason. It sounded like a fun story from the blurb and it didn't line up with my expectations.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an e arc of this in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an e arc of this in exchange for an honest review.
January 13, 2025
What a brilliant book. Really hit home with me about how easy it is to lose ourselves in our romantic relationships and friendships. Sometimes love and admiration can go too far and you allow things you shouldn’t and change yourself to fit their needs and desires.
Reminds us to love people for who they are, not who you want them to be
Reminds us to love people for who they are, not who you want them to be
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