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Jonah Goes Off Script
Was passiert, wenn der Vorhang fällt? Schauspieler Jonah Penrose ist mit seiner Darstellung des Achilles endlich der Durchbruch gelungen. Er gewinnt einen der wichtigsten Preise für seine Performance und wird vom Publikum gefeiert - doch dann tritt jemand Neues dem Theaterensemble bei: Dexter Ellis. Der Dexter Ellis, der Jonah nun seinen Platz als aufstrebender Star des West Ends streitig macht.
Und obwohl Jonah Dexter nicht mögen will, macht die explosive Chemie zwischen den beiden es bald unmöglich zu unterscheiden, wo das Spiel endet und echte Gefühle beginnen ...
»Eine meiner liebsten queeren Romances dieses Jahres!« Pages&Pothos
Und obwohl Jonah Dexter nicht mögen will, macht die explosive Chemie zwischen den beiden es bald unmöglich zu unterscheiden, wo das Spiel endet und echte Gefühle beginnen ...
»Eine meiner liebsten queeren Romances dieses Jahres!« Pages&Pothos
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First published November 11, 2025
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About the author
Robyn Green
1 book34 followersRobyn Green was born and raised in Suffolk, England. After falling in love with the theatre at a young age, she spent time performing on stage before moving her focus behind the scenes where she now specializes in costume design and curation. Robyn’s passion for the arts is the main source of inspiration for her writing. The Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose is her debut novel and her love letter to the theatre.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
July 13, 2025
The Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose is a romance with a heavy focus on the theatre life in London. Both our main characters are actors and they start hating each other, so it's an enemies to lovers sort of thing. Jonah's story also deals with the medical problems of his parents.
This book is 288 pages, and that's the problem. When I saw that I was expecting the ending to be rushed but it's the contrary. The ending is perfect, the problem is the rest of the book. The start is a little clunky, I couldn't get into it right from the beginning but by 20% I was engaged.
The part about Jonah's parents is too rushed, same with Dexter's background. It could've been great if only we had more time to explore these things. I also think the romance could've used a little more work, it went from two people that obviously needed to work on themselves before a relationship to a happily ever after.
I still would recommend it for the ending, I really liked it. For a debut I think it did its job, I will definitely keep an eye out for the author's new works.
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC.
This book is 288 pages, and that's the problem. When I saw that I was expecting the ending to be rushed but it's the contrary. The ending is perfect, the problem is the rest of the book. The start is a little clunky, I couldn't get into it right from the beginning but by 20% I was engaged.
The part about Jonah's parents is too rushed, same with Dexter's background. It could've been great if only we had more time to explore these things. I also think the romance could've used a little more work, it went from two people that obviously needed to work on themselves before a relationship to a happily ever after.
I still would recommend it for the ending, I really liked it. For a debut I think it did its job, I will definitely keep an eye out for the author's new works.
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC.
November 12, 2025
This book had me at the teaser of "Red, White & Royal Blue meets the theater world of London’s dazzling West End"
Talk about all my favorite things.
Dexter, West End’s golden boy and the fabulously talented Jonah Penrose go head to head in this theater kid rom-com. I loved every damn moment, their spark and banter, the rival/lovers vibes and even the tension with their families.
Some of backstory is rushed through in the beginning, and I would have been fine with this book being longer and providing more time with that. But overall, brava!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult for a copy of the audiobook to enjoy!
Talk about all my favorite things.
Dexter, West End’s golden boy and the fabulously talented Jonah Penrose go head to head in this theater kid rom-com. I loved every damn moment, their spark and banter, the rival/lovers vibes and even the tension with their families.
Some of backstory is rushed through in the beginning, and I would have been fine with this book being longer and providing more time with that. But overall, brava!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult for a copy of the audiobook to enjoy!
December 16, 2025
How ridiculous is it that a book by a British author set in the UK is only available to buy here as a US import??
The Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose is a rivals-to-lovers romance set in the world of London’s West End theatre scene. It’s a very promising début from author Robyn Green, but although I enjoyed it overall, there are pacing and plotting issues that prevent me from giving it a higher grade, and the use of a single PoV (which seems to be the preference in pretty much every traditionally published m/m romance I’ve read over the last couple of years) doesn’t do it any favours.
Jonah Penrose is currently starring in the West End’s top musical, The Wooden Horse, and his role as Achilles has just won him the Olivier Award for best actor in a musical. It’s a dream come true and he’s riding high… until he crashes to Earth the next morning, waking with one of the worst hangovers in the history of hangovers, and remembering that his long-term boyfriend told him he’d met someone else and dumped him just the day before.
As if that isn’t bad enough, Jonah finds out later that day that among the new cast members joining the show (to replace those who have decided not to renew their contracts) is Dexter Ellis, West End star, hearthrob, vocal powerhouse and all-round golden boy – and, more importantly, the actor who originated the role of Achilles four years earlier, performing at the Edinburgh Fringe and on the pre-West End tour. Despite the snide remarks on social media accusing Jonah of ‘stealing’ the part, Jonah knows he won it fair and square and that Dexter had never intented to take the role in the West End production anyway. Still, that doesn’t stop him from worrying that Dexter’s presence in the cast signifies his intention to swoop in and steal the show – and the part.
At yoga class a few days later, Jonah can’t help checking out the new guy who has taken the mat next to him. He’s tall, blond and slender, with high cheekbones and sinfully pouty lips, and Jonah is so preoccupied that it takes him a few seconds to realise the guy is bloody Dexter Ellis. Still, he says hello, saying it’s a surprise to see him there… and only then realises that Dexter is acting as though he doesn’t have a clue who Jonah is. Jonah finds that hard to believe - his face is plastered over posters and adverts and Dexter will have seen video of his performances during rehearsals. What a dickhead.
The next day is the publicity photoshoot with the new cast, and Jonah is not surprised when Dexter acts as though they’ve never met. The man rubs him completely the wrong way every time he opens his mouth, and doesn’t hold back from telling Jonah what he’s doing wrong - but when illness knocks out several cast members and Dexter agrees to step in to perform the role of Patroclus (Achilles’ lover) for a few days, the tension coming off them during the love scenes is mistaken by the audience for sexual tension, and thus is the good ship #Dexah born among fans on social media. The show’s producer, seeing an opportunity to boost ticket sales, tells Jonah and Dexter she wants them to lean into that, to be nice to each other, that a theatre romance is better than a theatre rivalry, and that it won’t hurt if people think they’re a couple. Jonah isn’t too happy (and he’s never been not nice to Dexter, even though Dexter has behaved like a total bellend towards him) but is basically guilted into going along with it.
Soon after the regular cast is back on its feet, rehearsals begin with the new cast members, which means Dexter stepping into his role as Hector and spending a lot of one-to-one rehearsal time with Jonah. As the days and weeks pass, Jonah finds himself becoming increasingly aware of Dexter’s attractiveness while at the same time berating himself for it; the man is a complete arsehole and Jonah really needs this stupid attraction to just go away. But it won’t, and as he and Dexter start working together, they settle into something approaching friendship – albeit one based on sarcasm and slightly fond insults – and Jonah begins to wonder if maybe there’s more to Dexter Ellis than meets the eye
I liked a lot about The Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose. The author clearly loves the theatre world and knows how it works, and I really liked the camaraderie between the actors and the crew, the idea of a theatre ‘family’ who support each other without question. The secondary characters are really well drawn and add a lot of depth and colour to the story.
Jonah is a likeable, flawed, complex character and the author does a fabulous job of articulating his fears and insecurities while also balancing them with a necessary degree of confidence, which all feels very realistic given his profession and the fickleness of the world in which he operates. He has a lot on his plate aside from worrying about what’s going on with Dexter and at the theatre; his father has Alzheimer’s, his mother has reached the point where she can no longer care for him at home, and while Jonah does what he can to support her, he feels terribly guilty at not being able to be around to help more. The author writes about Jonah’s relationship with his father with sensitivity and poignancy; he’s obviously a great dad who loves his son a great deal – but that man has been taken away by a cruel disease, and Jonah misses him very much.
The situation with Jonah’s mother and her worsening mental health is perhaps a little rushed, but for the most part, his relationship with his parents is integrated into the story in a believable way.
Unfortunately, the thing about the book that didn’t work all that well for me was the romance, because Dexter and Jonah's move from being rivals to lovers is really sudden, and I had no sense of why it happens when it does, or, actually, why it happens at all. The story is told entirely from Jonah’s perspective so we don’t get into Dexter’s head, and he isn’t well-developed as a character. Some authors are really good at presenting one character through the eyes of another and showing the reader who they are without being in their PoV, but unfortunately, Ms. Green doesn’t appear to have the knack of that yet. All we really know about Dexter is that he’s gorgeous and talented and – to everyone except Jonah – utterly charming, but I couldn’t work out what Jonah saw in him beyond his looks for most of the book, especially as he behaves like a complete arsehole to Jonah for such a large part of it. Jonah doesn't communicate a change in Dexter’s behaviour to indicate he’s falling for Jonah, so the reader doesn't know it's happening; when they’re just rivals, Dexter is constantly rude, condescending and antagonistic, and even once they’re hooking up, he continues to offer unsolicited critiques of Jonah’s performances. Maybe the author intends that to come across as flirty snark and banter – but it doesn’t. There are hints that there’s something more going on with Dexter than Jonah gets to see, but we don’t learn his backstory until pretty late in the book - and then it’s just dropped and never explored further.
Dexter does redeem himself somewhat near the end, when he’s there for Jonah at a very difficult time, but given the amount of baggage and trust issues these two have, their relationship isn’t given the time it needs to breathe and develop. It’s kind of ironic, given the number of contemporary romances I’ve reviewed recently that I’ve said were over-long, because this one is not long enough to enable all its key elements to be properly unpacked and explored.
I commented earlier in the review that most of the traditionally published m/m romances I’ve read lately have been single PoV, and I’ll add to that that they’ve also been more about one protagonist’s emotional journey than about the romance – which also seems to be the case with many m/f contemporaries right now, too. (As I said in my review of Dylan Morrison’s Recipe for Trouble: A grumpy/sunshine queer MM romantic comedy , think “Emily Henry, but gay.”)
But the thing is, that even with my reservations about the romance, I enjoyed The Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose, and will certainly read more from Robyn Green. The things the author does well – the relationships between cast and crew, the insight into the workings of West End theatre, Jonah’s relationship with his parents – are very good, and make it worth a look despite its flaws.
The Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose is a rivals-to-lovers romance set in the world of London’s West End theatre scene. It’s a very promising début from author Robyn Green, but although I enjoyed it overall, there are pacing and plotting issues that prevent me from giving it a higher grade, and the use of a single PoV (which seems to be the preference in pretty much every traditionally published m/m romance I’ve read over the last couple of years) doesn’t do it any favours.
Jonah Penrose is currently starring in the West End’s top musical, The Wooden Horse, and his role as Achilles has just won him the Olivier Award for best actor in a musical. It’s a dream come true and he’s riding high… until he crashes to Earth the next morning, waking with one of the worst hangovers in the history of hangovers, and remembering that his long-term boyfriend told him he’d met someone else and dumped him just the day before.
As if that isn’t bad enough, Jonah finds out later that day that among the new cast members joining the show (to replace those who have decided not to renew their contracts) is Dexter Ellis, West End star, hearthrob, vocal powerhouse and all-round golden boy – and, more importantly, the actor who originated the role of Achilles four years earlier, performing at the Edinburgh Fringe and on the pre-West End tour. Despite the snide remarks on social media accusing Jonah of ‘stealing’ the part, Jonah knows he won it fair and square and that Dexter had never intented to take the role in the West End production anyway. Still, that doesn’t stop him from worrying that Dexter’s presence in the cast signifies his intention to swoop in and steal the show – and the part.
At yoga class a few days later, Jonah can’t help checking out the new guy who has taken the mat next to him. He’s tall, blond and slender, with high cheekbones and sinfully pouty lips, and Jonah is so preoccupied that it takes him a few seconds to realise the guy is bloody Dexter Ellis. Still, he says hello, saying it’s a surprise to see him there… and only then realises that Dexter is acting as though he doesn’t have a clue who Jonah is. Jonah finds that hard to believe - his face is plastered over posters and adverts and Dexter will have seen video of his performances during rehearsals. What a dickhead.
The next day is the publicity photoshoot with the new cast, and Jonah is not surprised when Dexter acts as though they’ve never met. The man rubs him completely the wrong way every time he opens his mouth, and doesn’t hold back from telling Jonah what he’s doing wrong - but when illness knocks out several cast members and Dexter agrees to step in to perform the role of Patroclus (Achilles’ lover) for a few days, the tension coming off them during the love scenes is mistaken by the audience for sexual tension, and thus is the good ship #Dexah born among fans on social media. The show’s producer, seeing an opportunity to boost ticket sales, tells Jonah and Dexter she wants them to lean into that, to be nice to each other, that a theatre romance is better than a theatre rivalry, and that it won’t hurt if people think they’re a couple. Jonah isn’t too happy (and he’s never been not nice to Dexter, even though Dexter has behaved like a total bellend towards him) but is basically guilted into going along with it.
Soon after the regular cast is back on its feet, rehearsals begin with the new cast members, which means Dexter stepping into his role as Hector and spending a lot of one-to-one rehearsal time with Jonah. As the days and weeks pass, Jonah finds himself becoming increasingly aware of Dexter’s attractiveness while at the same time berating himself for it; the man is a complete arsehole and Jonah really needs this stupid attraction to just go away. But it won’t, and as he and Dexter start working together, they settle into something approaching friendship – albeit one based on sarcasm and slightly fond insults – and Jonah begins to wonder if maybe there’s more to Dexter Ellis than meets the eye
I liked a lot about The Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose. The author clearly loves the theatre world and knows how it works, and I really liked the camaraderie between the actors and the crew, the idea of a theatre ‘family’ who support each other without question. The secondary characters are really well drawn and add a lot of depth and colour to the story.
Jonah is a likeable, flawed, complex character and the author does a fabulous job of articulating his fears and insecurities while also balancing them with a necessary degree of confidence, which all feels very realistic given his profession and the fickleness of the world in which he operates. He has a lot on his plate aside from worrying about what’s going on with Dexter and at the theatre; his father has Alzheimer’s, his mother has reached the point where she can no longer care for him at home, and while Jonah does what he can to support her, he feels terribly guilty at not being able to be around to help more. The author writes about Jonah’s relationship with his father with sensitivity and poignancy; he’s obviously a great dad who loves his son a great deal – but that man has been taken away by a cruel disease, and Jonah misses him very much.
...he’d said goodbye to his dad in so many ways since his diagnosis. He’d said goodbye to the memories his father could no longer recall… He’d said goodbye to their conversations, the ones they had back on summer nights in the garden... And he said goodbye to the fit man who once competed in the dad races on field days and always won, lifting Jonah in the air and yelling in triumph...
The situation with Jonah’s mother and her worsening mental health is perhaps a little rushed, but for the most part, his relationship with his parents is integrated into the story in a believable way.
Unfortunately, the thing about the book that didn’t work all that well for me was the romance, because Dexter and Jonah's move from being rivals to lovers is really sudden, and I had no sense of why it happens when it does, or, actually, why it happens at all. The story is told entirely from Jonah’s perspective so we don’t get into Dexter’s head, and he isn’t well-developed as a character. Some authors are really good at presenting one character through the eyes of another and showing the reader who they are without being in their PoV, but unfortunately, Ms. Green doesn’t appear to have the knack of that yet. All we really know about Dexter is that he’s gorgeous and talented and – to everyone except Jonah – utterly charming, but I couldn’t work out what Jonah saw in him beyond his looks for most of the book, especially as he behaves like a complete arsehole to Jonah for such a large part of it. Jonah doesn't communicate a change in Dexter’s behaviour to indicate he’s falling for Jonah, so the reader doesn't know it's happening; when they’re just rivals, Dexter is constantly rude, condescending and antagonistic, and even once they’re hooking up, he continues to offer unsolicited critiques of Jonah’s performances. Maybe the author intends that to come across as flirty snark and banter – but it doesn’t. There are hints that there’s something more going on with Dexter than Jonah gets to see, but we don’t learn his backstory until pretty late in the book - and then it’s just dropped and never explored further.
Dexter does redeem himself somewhat near the end, when he’s there for Jonah at a very difficult time, but given the amount of baggage and trust issues these two have, their relationship isn’t given the time it needs to breathe and develop. It’s kind of ironic, given the number of contemporary romances I’ve reviewed recently that I’ve said were over-long, because this one is not long enough to enable all its key elements to be properly unpacked and explored.
I commented earlier in the review that most of the traditionally published m/m romances I’ve read lately have been single PoV, and I’ll add to that that they’ve also been more about one protagonist’s emotional journey than about the romance – which also seems to be the case with many m/f contemporaries right now, too. (As I said in my review of Dylan Morrison’s Recipe for Trouble: A grumpy/sunshine queer MM romantic comedy , think “Emily Henry, but gay.”)
But the thing is, that even with my reservations about the romance, I enjoyed The Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose, and will certainly read more from Robyn Green. The things the author does well – the relationships between cast and crew, the insight into the workings of West End theatre, Jonah’s relationship with his parents – are very good, and make it worth a look despite its flaws.
September 18, 2025
The story opens with Jonah Penrose having just won an Olivier Award for his portrayal of Achilles in the new musical The Wooden Horse. Jonah is a lifelong fan of musical theater, so the Best Actor in a Musical award is his dream come true. Unfortunately, not only does he get dumped shortly after, but he also learns that Dexter Ellis, one of West End's most popular stars, will soon be joining the show. Convinced that Dexter is trying to undermine him and irritated by an unpleasant Yoga incident, Jonah's admiration for Dexter quickly turns to dislike. However, Dexter and Jonah's chemistry has fans dubbing them "Dexah" and speculating about a possible off-stage romance. They're encouraged to play up their relationship for fans, but they're in a very competitive industry, so things get complicated.
This is such a fun and charming debut. The relationship was a delight from start to finish. Their banter and interactions at every stage of their rivals-to-lovers journey had me completely hooked. Both characters are interesting and complicated, and their dynamic brings out both the worst and best in each at different times. There was a point in the second half of the book where I absolutely could not stop reading until I knew these two were going to be happy together. To me, that's always the sign of a great romance.
One of the most interesting things about their rivals-lovers dynamic is the exploration of how it works when lovers must also be rivals professionally. Dexter and Jonah are competitors in their industry, so that adds a unique complication to their romance. As the summary implies, there's also a little of the fake-dating trope. My only complaint about the entire book is that I wish there had been a little more focus on this aspect. Fans shipping Dexah and the social media reactions were so much fun; I would have loved to see more!
I enjoyed the bits we got of The Wooden Horse. There are lyrics from the show at the beginning of each chapter, and various scenes of the musical are depicted throughout the book. It's clear that the author is a big fan of theater and that love seeps into the book so clearly.
Most of the book is light and fun, but there is a very emotional subplot involving Jonah's parents. The issues explored in this storyline feel incredibly real and helped ground the story. One of these issues hit pretty close to home for me, so I cried very hard, but it's handled really well and with care.
This was one of my favorite queer romances of the year, and one that I can't wait to get a physical copy of. I got so absorbed in this relationship, and I loved all the characters, musical references, and drama! I've been looking forward to this book for a long time, and I'm so happy it met my expectations!
* I received an advanced copy of this book for free, thanks to NetGalley & the publisher. *
This is such a fun and charming debut. The relationship was a delight from start to finish. Their banter and interactions at every stage of their rivals-to-lovers journey had me completely hooked. Both characters are interesting and complicated, and their dynamic brings out both the worst and best in each at different times. There was a point in the second half of the book where I absolutely could not stop reading until I knew these two were going to be happy together. To me, that's always the sign of a great romance.
One of the most interesting things about their rivals-lovers dynamic is the exploration of how it works when lovers must also be rivals professionally. Dexter and Jonah are competitors in their industry, so that adds a unique complication to their romance. As the summary implies, there's also a little of the fake-dating trope. My only complaint about the entire book is that I wish there had been a little more focus on this aspect. Fans shipping Dexah and the social media reactions were so much fun; I would have loved to see more!
I enjoyed the bits we got of The Wooden Horse. There are lyrics from the show at the beginning of each chapter, and various scenes of the musical are depicted throughout the book. It's clear that the author is a big fan of theater and that love seeps into the book so clearly.
Most of the book is light and fun, but there is a very emotional subplot involving Jonah's parents. The issues explored in this storyline feel incredibly real and helped ground the story. One of these issues hit pretty close to home for me, so I cried very hard, but it's handled really well and with care.
This was one of my favorite queer romances of the year, and one that I can't wait to get a physical copy of. I got so absorbed in this relationship, and I loved all the characters, musical references, and drama! I've been looking forward to this book for a long time, and I'm so happy it met my expectations!
* I received an advanced copy of this book for free, thanks to NetGalley & the publisher. *
June 3, 2025
LOVED LOVED LOVED this book! It had me hooked at 'West End theatre romance' and kept me enthralled right through the end.
Jonah is such a loveable (and relatable) character, and his rivals-to-lovers chemistry with Dexter is simply addictive.
But more than just a story about chasing dreams, this is also one of loss and grief that really gave me all the feels. Would recommend it to anyone!
Jonah is such a loveable (and relatable) character, and his rivals-to-lovers chemistry with Dexter is simply addictive.
But more than just a story about chasing dreams, this is also one of loss and grief that really gave me all the feels. Would recommend it to anyone!
July 12, 2025
Do you ever feel like author’s have written a book specifically for you? This felt like that. London, the West End, hot rivals-to-lovers MCs, humor. I couldn’t put it down. I laughed, I cried…seriously, sobbed. Can’t believe this is her debut, and can’t wait for her next one!!
November 24, 2025
Thank you Harper Perennial for sending me a free advance copy!
Even though I enjoy reading romances, this year I’ve been distracted by other genres. It was nice to sit down with this book as it reminded me of everything I appreciate about love stories and how it’s good for the soul to step into these happily ever after worlds.
Jonah Penrose has just won an Olivier award for his performance in a West End musical. Rather than feeling on top of the world, he is dealing with a recent breakup, a father with health issues, and a new castmate, Dexter, who is incredibly arrogant. There’s just no way Jonah could fall for someone like Dexter. Just no way. Right?
I always like it when the lead characters have other things going on in their lives and the love story isn’t the sole focus. When you get more insight into the characters, it’s easier to feel invested in the romance. Good chemistry helped as well. The theater world setting made it a fun and interesting read.
Recommend if you like a steamy romance.
Even though I enjoy reading romances, this year I’ve been distracted by other genres. It was nice to sit down with this book as it reminded me of everything I appreciate about love stories and how it’s good for the soul to step into these happily ever after worlds.
Jonah Penrose has just won an Olivier award for his performance in a West End musical. Rather than feeling on top of the world, he is dealing with a recent breakup, a father with health issues, and a new castmate, Dexter, who is incredibly arrogant. There’s just no way Jonah could fall for someone like Dexter. Just no way. Right?
I always like it when the lead characters have other things going on in their lives and the love story isn’t the sole focus. When you get more insight into the characters, it’s easier to feel invested in the romance. Good chemistry helped as well. The theater world setting made it a fun and interesting read.
Recommend if you like a steamy romance.
December 5, 2025
This book had me unashamedly binge my favorite musicals! It's a romance (verging on romcom) with surprising depth and a lot of love for the world of theater, which warms my heart so much. The story revolves around a West End production of The Song of Achilles (with the serial numbers filed off), so there was no way I wasn't going to LOVE this book.
Both MCs have their own trust issues and bantering is just their normal, which I found really refreshing in the genre. I went into this book thinking it'd be a palate cleanser (and it absolutely worked like one) but it was also a lot more and very well executed. Bravo!
Thank you to libro.fm for the free audiobook.
Both MCs have their own trust issues and bantering is just their normal, which I found really refreshing in the genre. I went into this book thinking it'd be a palate cleanser (and it absolutely worked like one) but it was also a lot more and very well executed. Bravo!
Thank you to libro.fm for the free audiobook.
December 23, 2025
For a debut, this was pretty well done and I enjoyed. It's very clear that the author knows a lot about the theatre world and it's inner workings because they were narrated and written about so vividly that I could picture them. I like the characters especially Jonah. He was messy, anxious, insecure but he was also resilient and funny...overall he was human.
The pacing might be the major issue I had with the book. It starts off slow and steady but then you hit the halfway point and it's like the author remembers it's supposed to be a romance and just rushes the lovers arc between the characters. It really did irk me because at that point, and honestly up until the end, Dexter is an underdeveloped character especially for a love interest. I do understand that this is a singular pov book and that to some extent, the mc is going to be biased and we're going to miss a lot of context but I know there's a better way to write it than this. All I can literally remember of Dexter other than the fact that they have a rivalry is that he's hot and blonde. His backstory isn't even fleshed out!
As a couple, Jonah and Dexter should have had more time. This is one instance where the book definitely should have been a hundred pages longer.
For the fact that I loved peeking behind the curtains of the theatre world, the amazing side characters and relationships in this, and of course Jonah, I'm rating this four stars especially since it's a debut. I can't wait to see this author improve and read what they come up with next.
Thank you Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
The pacing might be the major issue I had with the book. It starts off slow and steady but then you hit the halfway point and it's like the author remembers it's supposed to be a romance and just rushes the lovers arc between the characters. It really did irk me because at that point, and honestly up until the end, Dexter is an underdeveloped character especially for a love interest. I do understand that this is a singular pov book and that to some extent, the mc is going to be biased and we're going to miss a lot of context but I know there's a better way to write it than this. All I can literally remember of Dexter other than the fact that they have a rivalry is that he's hot and blonde. His backstory isn't even fleshed out!
As a couple, Jonah and Dexter should have had more time. This is one instance where the book definitely should have been a hundred pages longer.
For the fact that I loved peeking behind the curtains of the theatre world, the amazing side characters and relationships in this, and of course Jonah, I'm rating this four stars especially since it's a debut. I can't wait to see this author improve and read what they come up with next.
Thank you Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
November 24, 2025
This was a fun read! We have Dexter and Jonah who are rivals…and when fans speculate about a real off stage romance between them…they find themselves fake dating. They had this great banter and tension between them and I loved their chemistry. There are also some emotional moments with Jonah’a family - yes this is a romcom but I admit I shed a few tears.
As a former musical theatre kid, I LOVED how the author has a fictional musical called The Wooden Horse woven into the story!
✨What To Expect:
🎭Theater Kids
🏳️🌈Queer Romance
❤️🔥Rivals to Lovers
❣️Fake Dating
💙Found Family
🏛️Greek Mythology x Musical
💕Finding Love In Your 30s
🇬🇧London Setting
As a former musical theatre kid, I LOVED how the author has a fictional musical called The Wooden Horse woven into the story!
✨What To Expect:
🎭Theater Kids
🏳️🌈Queer Romance
❤️🔥Rivals to Lovers
❣️Fake Dating
💙Found Family
🏛️Greek Mythology x Musical
💕Finding Love In Your 30s
🇬🇧London Setting
July 28, 2025
Standing ovation for this West End-inspired romance with all the behind-the-curtain juiciness I needed. Green writes toe-tingling tension between these rivals who end up having to share a stage (and a LOT more), both of whom are in turns endearing but also so real and flawed I wanted to either scream at them or give them a cup of cocoa and tell them it will be all right. Real and relatable, but also sweet and spicy, and places where I was absolutely broken. Perfect for theatre lovers who can't stop shipping the leads of every show and need to see that dream come true. Highly recommend!
July 22, 2025
guys…..THIS BOOK!!!!!
Another 5 ⭐️ read for the month of July. Something about this month has been so good to me already!
The Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose follows Jonah’s life of a 30 something as he navigates the London theatre scene. Just breaking up with his boyfriend, winning an Oliver award, and putting his dad in a care home has made him feel all kinds of feelings; then he meets Dexter Ellis. Dexter is a snarky, competitive actor also in the theatre scene and Jonah immediately hates him when he finds out he’ll be playing alongside him in The Wooden Horse. Jonah doesn’t think his life can get any worse (or more dramatic).
This book has so many ongoing themes: grief, love, queerness; I have come to appreciate a book that can adequately lay out all of these and still tell an excellent story. This book made me laugh so hard, but also cry even harder because of the things Jonah has to go through in order to get out on the other side of his string of bad days.
Thank you so much to @harperperennial for the free book! Releases November 2025.
Another 5 ⭐️ read for the month of July. Something about this month has been so good to me already!
The Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose follows Jonah’s life of a 30 something as he navigates the London theatre scene. Just breaking up with his boyfriend, winning an Oliver award, and putting his dad in a care home has made him feel all kinds of feelings; then he meets Dexter Ellis. Dexter is a snarky, competitive actor also in the theatre scene and Jonah immediately hates him when he finds out he’ll be playing alongside him in The Wooden Horse. Jonah doesn’t think his life can get any worse (or more dramatic).
This book has so many ongoing themes: grief, love, queerness; I have come to appreciate a book that can adequately lay out all of these and still tell an excellent story. This book made me laugh so hard, but also cry even harder because of the things Jonah has to go through in order to get out on the other side of his string of bad days.
Thank you so much to @harperperennial for the free book! Releases November 2025.
September 9, 2025
I can’t wait for the world to meet Jonah Penrose! This charming romance is a theatre kid’s dream! The setting is fabulous and the enemies-to-lovers vibes are flawless.
January 28, 2026
Gear up y'all, this is going to be a little bit of a rant. If you love a little drama, this is for you. And if you're considering reading this book, my guess is that you do.
This book disappointed every expectation I had going in. Let's break it down.
The relationship was truly the worst point here—the two boys are supposed to be rivals. Instead Dexter is entitled and an absolute asshole who constantly critiques Jonah's performance. For one, actors, unless asked explicitly by the other actor or in a role such as dance captain, should NEVER critique their castmates. That is the stage manager's job during a show run (or the musical director if it's a musical note), and any concerns about staging, etc should be brought to them. The worst part is that he keeps doing this critique thing even after they get together.
Going from rivals to lovers in this book was like flipping on a dime. One moment they hated each other, the next they were super into each other. There was nothing in between, and even when they were together, we go zero insight into conversations they might have or things they might do together. They actually barely communicated at all, about anything. We don't learn Dexter's history until eighty percent, and it still doesn't excuse his unprofessionalism.
There was a pretty significant amount of side characters in this one, and not a single one of them really had a personality. Some of them had a singular trait (and two of those were their own relationships), but for the most part they were empty.
This plays right into major problem number two—there was way too much going on and not enough space. This book is like 280 pages. Character and relationship development was exchanged for family plotlines that should have been impactful but felt rushed and unimportant without space to breathe and feel them, so we ended up with the worst of both worlds and were satisfied by neither one.
The antagonist in this book was almost interesting, but once again, their existence was relegated to problem number three instead of the main issue at hand, and truly the confrontation at the end about professionalism was a hilarious kind of irony.
The section below will contain mild spoilers.
As I type this out, I'm realizing that there were actually countless things that, despite Green knowing what the different between a swing and an understudy was and apparently working in costume design, were some really glaringly obvious violations in professional and personal boundaries used to push the novel forwards. To preface, I work in theater professionally and studied it in college before that. In the last decade, I've done everything from acting to stage management to wardrobe to production management.
And I can tell that Green does love theater. But there was one scene in particular that told me either she's never been an active part of blocking in a rehearsal room, or her "love letter to theater" was a bunch of words without backing, easily discarded entirely in order to create drama.
Within the first fifty pages, having spent all of twenty minutes conversing with each other, none of which were pleasant, and with Dexter as a grade A asshole who acts like he is the golden boy and beholden to no one, there is a moment where they have to kiss onstage, once Dexter volunteers to covers a role he's never done before because of staffing issues. Conceptually, this really worked for me. Even through the amount of people being out really stretched the bounds of what I thought was realistic, I could see it. And then it was absolutely awful. At bare minimum, there would have been intimacy coordination blocked out for the show. Bringing someone new into that choreo (forget the fact that for some reason there wasn't a put in for *seven* people playing roles they didn't usually do) absolutely would have required them to run it *with a stage manager present* for both notes and safety. No matter which role I'm standing in, that oversight on top of the entitled demands of Dexter would have made me extremely uncomfortable with that scene, not charmed by the kissing of some douche who doesn't respect the work enough to play a part as directed. And that really took me out of the story very quickly.
Let's be clear, the circumstances made for really great potential, where all the right forces (and possibly even more ways for them to start getting interested) were available to be used—I even outlined to my friend what I would have done. And not taking a road that was used to change the course of the relationship and also safe and accurate at the same time doomed this novel's validity for me.
If you can't tell, I do not recommend this book for a second, and goddamn now I need to write a book where theater plays a bigger part, because we deserve better.
This book disappointed every expectation I had going in. Let's break it down.
The relationship was truly the worst point here—the two boys are supposed to be rivals. Instead Dexter is entitled and an absolute asshole who constantly critiques Jonah's performance. For one, actors, unless asked explicitly by the other actor or in a role such as dance captain, should NEVER critique their castmates. That is the stage manager's job during a show run (or the musical director if it's a musical note), and any concerns about staging, etc should be brought to them. The worst part is that he keeps doing this critique thing even after they get together.
Going from rivals to lovers in this book was like flipping on a dime. One moment they hated each other, the next they were super into each other. There was nothing in between, and even when they were together, we go zero insight into conversations they might have or things they might do together. They actually barely communicated at all, about anything. We don't learn Dexter's history until eighty percent, and it still doesn't excuse his unprofessionalism.
There was a pretty significant amount of side characters in this one, and not a single one of them really had a personality. Some of them had a singular trait (and two of those were their own relationships), but for the most part they were empty.
This plays right into major problem number two—there was way too much going on and not enough space. This book is like 280 pages. Character and relationship development was exchanged for family plotlines that should have been impactful but felt rushed and unimportant without space to breathe and feel them, so we ended up with the worst of both worlds and were satisfied by neither one.
The antagonist in this book was almost interesting, but once again, their existence was relegated to problem number three instead of the main issue at hand, and truly the confrontation at the end about professionalism was a hilarious kind of irony.
The section below will contain mild spoilers.
As I type this out, I'm realizing that there were actually countless things that, despite Green knowing what the different between a swing and an understudy was and apparently working in costume design, were some really glaringly obvious violations in professional and personal boundaries used to push the novel forwards. To preface, I work in theater professionally and studied it in college before that. In the last decade, I've done everything from acting to stage management to wardrobe to production management.
And I can tell that Green does love theater. But there was one scene in particular that told me either she's never been an active part of blocking in a rehearsal room, or her "love letter to theater" was a bunch of words without backing, easily discarded entirely in order to create drama.
Within the first fifty pages, having spent all of twenty minutes conversing with each other, none of which were pleasant, and with Dexter as a grade A asshole who acts like he is the golden boy and beholden to no one, there is a moment where they have to kiss onstage, once Dexter volunteers to covers a role he's never done before because of staffing issues. Conceptually, this really worked for me. Even through the amount of people being out really stretched the bounds of what I thought was realistic, I could see it. And then it was absolutely awful. At bare minimum, there would have been intimacy coordination blocked out for the show. Bringing someone new into that choreo (forget the fact that for some reason there wasn't a put in for *seven* people playing roles they didn't usually do) absolutely would have required them to run it *with a stage manager present* for both notes and safety. No matter which role I'm standing in, that oversight on top of the entitled demands of Dexter would have made me extremely uncomfortable with that scene, not charmed by the kissing of some douche who doesn't respect the work enough to play a part as directed. And that really took me out of the story very quickly.
Let's be clear, the circumstances made for really great potential, where all the right forces (and possibly even more ways for them to start getting interested) were available to be used—I even outlined to my friend what I would have done. And not taking a road that was used to change the course of the relationship and also safe and accurate at the same time doomed this novel's validity for me.
If you can't tell, I do not recommend this book for a second, and goddamn now I need to write a book where theater plays a bigger part, because we deserve better.
November 8, 2025
Thank you to LibroFM, NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the advanced copies of this one!
I loved the premise of this: enemies to lovers & West End theatre setting. Jonah’s life truly was dramatic as there are a lot of things that happen to him in a short period of time. I liked Jonah’s character as he tried to figure out how to manage it all.
My issues honestly stemmed with Dexter’s character and the miscommunication/lack of communication between Jonah and Dexter’s characters. I understand that it’s due to the trust issues on both sides but it’s just not my favorite trope. Dexter also leaned a little more mean than just teasing. This was solely from third-person POV (Jonah’s) so maybe if we also got Dexter’s side I would not have felt so poorly against him.
Overall, not my favorite romance I’ve read but I did enjoy aspects of it.
I loved the premise of this: enemies to lovers & West End theatre setting. Jonah’s life truly was dramatic as there are a lot of things that happen to him in a short period of time. I liked Jonah’s character as he tried to figure out how to manage it all.
My issues honestly stemmed with Dexter’s character and the miscommunication/lack of communication between Jonah and Dexter’s characters. I understand that it’s due to the trust issues on both sides but it’s just not my favorite trope. Dexter also leaned a little more mean than just teasing. This was solely from third-person POV (Jonah’s) so maybe if we also got Dexter’s side I would not have felt so poorly against him.
Overall, not my favorite romance I’ve read but I did enjoy aspects of it.
December 22, 2025
I need to go see some theater at the west end!!! This was so drama as expected and also so sexy, go get em Jonah!
January 6, 2026
The Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose by Robyn Green
Since I have no background knowledge of theatre life, it was especially fun and interesting to be immersed in that world. Is this accurate to the theatre life? No idea LOL! I still enjoyed the story.
The two main characters start off butting heads—disliking each other and bordering on enemies. I loved watching how their relationship slowly evolved as they began to befriend one another and help each other grow.
The beginning of the book is a little slow, but once you get past the first few chapters, it becomes much more engaging and enjoyable.
I personally liked the ending, though it did feel a bit rushed. Both characters needed time to work through their insecurities and focus on their own lives before fully entering a relationship. Still, I was happy to see how they grew together and ultimately ended up together.
Thank you so much to Harper Perennial for the gifted copy.
Since I have no background knowledge of theatre life, it was especially fun and interesting to be immersed in that world. Is this accurate to the theatre life? No idea LOL! I still enjoyed the story.
The two main characters start off butting heads—disliking each other and bordering on enemies. I loved watching how their relationship slowly evolved as they began to befriend one another and help each other grow.
The beginning of the book is a little slow, but once you get past the first few chapters, it becomes much more engaging and enjoyable.
I personally liked the ending, though it did feel a bit rushed. Both characters needed time to work through their insecurities and focus on their own lives before fully entering a relationship. Still, I was happy to see how they grew together and ultimately ended up together.
Thank you so much to Harper Perennial for the gifted copy.
November 6, 2025
What an absolutely fantastic story. I can't believe it's a debut!!
I was kindly sent this arc by Harper Perennial and am always so excited for traditionally published queer stories that I had to pick it up asap.
The book follows Jonah, a West End actor, and his heartthrob rival-turned-coworker Dexter. These two men were perfectly flawed, realistically human characters and I loved their complexity so much. Will-they-won't-they as a trope is not for everyone but I encourage you to give this one a try because there's so much depth to their reservations that I found the temporary heartache of their separation to have so much payoff in the end.
This is, in my opinion, the perfect length for a romance novel. It wasn't overly long or packed with filler and it contained depth, well rounded side characters, and clear growth by the end. I found the writing to be absolutely beautiful and some of the descriptions made me pause because they were just so wildly accurate and devastating (particularly when it comes to memory loss and the way it affected Jonah's dad and by proxy his mother). I am (unfortunately for my mental health) a sucker for a book that talks about grief and loss but be aware going into this one that it is a pretty major subplot for Jonah's story.
I also LOVED the scenes/lines we got to see at the beginning of each chapter from The Wooden Horse. They served a clear purpose and were tied together with the story so nicely.
As far as the spice goes, I know preference with that is so personal but I think this one is extremely tasteful even when it is open door. There wasn't a ton of it compared to some romance books I've read and it doesn't drag or detract from the story in my opinion, even for the portions of the book where the two men are technically friends with benefits rather than boyfriends. This author did a fantastic job building the tension between the two of them that it was so satisfying to see that finally break.
I could keep going, but I would highly recommend that you pick this one up when it publishes (next week!!). I think it would be particularly good for fans of theatre and queer stories, but more specifically The Song of Achilles and Red White & Royal Blue. Honorable mention to What is This Feeling from Wicked.
Thank you so so much again to Harper Perennial for mailing me the book early!!
I was kindly sent this arc by Harper Perennial and am always so excited for traditionally published queer stories that I had to pick it up asap.
The book follows Jonah, a West End actor, and his heartthrob rival-turned-coworker Dexter. These two men were perfectly flawed, realistically human characters and I loved their complexity so much. Will-they-won't-they as a trope is not for everyone but I encourage you to give this one a try because there's so much depth to their reservations that I found the temporary heartache of their separation to have so much payoff in the end.
This is, in my opinion, the perfect length for a romance novel. It wasn't overly long or packed with filler and it contained depth, well rounded side characters, and clear growth by the end. I found the writing to be absolutely beautiful and some of the descriptions made me pause because they were just so wildly accurate and devastating (particularly when it comes to memory loss and the way it affected Jonah's dad and by proxy his mother). I am (unfortunately for my mental health) a sucker for a book that talks about grief and loss but be aware going into this one that it is a pretty major subplot for Jonah's story.
I also LOVED the scenes/lines we got to see at the beginning of each chapter from The Wooden Horse. They served a clear purpose and were tied together with the story so nicely.
As far as the spice goes, I know preference with that is so personal but I think this one is extremely tasteful even when it is open door. There wasn't a ton of it compared to some romance books I've read and it doesn't drag or detract from the story in my opinion, even for the portions of the book where the two men are technically friends with benefits rather than boyfriends. This author did a fantastic job building the tension between the two of them that it was so satisfying to see that finally break.
I could keep going, but I would highly recommend that you pick this one up when it publishes (next week!!). I think it would be particularly good for fans of theatre and queer stories, but more specifically The Song of Achilles and Red White & Royal Blue. Honorable mention to What is This Feeling from Wicked.
Thank you so so much again to Harper Perennial for mailing me the book early!!
October 16, 2025
UGH YESSSSS THIS IS WHAT I NEEDED FINALLY!!!! From the very beginning I was HOOKED. I basically read this in 24 hours and honestly? I finally feel like myself again though now I’m scared nothing else is going to measure up.
I loved this book. Like, they’re literally acting out scenes as Achilles and Patroclus and when I realized that was going to be a recurring thing throughout the story?? I SCREAAAAAMED.
Jonah and Dexter’s relationship had me kicking my feet and giggling, oh how I’ve missed doing that. Dexter being so infatuated and poor oblivious Jonah just trying to keep up, ugh my heart.
It’s not super spicy, but the moments we do get? SO GOOD. And also… if you’ve ever watched Olympo and know that wrestling scene, iykyk 👀🔥 something similar happens here and I about LOST MY MIND LOL.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the ARC!!!! this one was EVERYTHING.
I loved this book. Like, they’re literally acting out scenes as Achilles and Patroclus and when I realized that was going to be a recurring thing throughout the story?? I SCREAAAAAMED.
Jonah and Dexter’s relationship had me kicking my feet and giggling, oh how I’ve missed doing that. Dexter being so infatuated and poor oblivious Jonah just trying to keep up, ugh my heart.
It’s not super spicy, but the moments we do get? SO GOOD. And also… if you’ve ever watched Olympo and know that wrestling scene, iykyk 👀🔥 something similar happens here and I about LOST MY MIND LOL.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the ARC!!!! this one was EVERYTHING.
December 14, 2025
This is the cutest book. I loved Jonah so much. Robyn Green made the theatre come alive, and I so badly wish I could go buy a ticket to The Wooden Horse. So many lines made me cackle. #Dexah forever!
July 8, 2025
I received an ARC of this and found I really enjoyed it. Jonah is incredibly human and the cast of characters are supportive and likeable (those who are meant to be). And the theater setting was a lot of fun, with great references and tie-ins.
The part that took a star away from me was the mother’s drinking. While a believable story, I didn’t feel connected to her yet or their relationship before the problem was introduced and then resolved all off the page. It just didn’t seem necessary? But maybe that’s just adding to what makes his life Dramatic.
The part that took a star away from me was the mother’s drinking. While a believable story, I didn’t feel connected to her yet or their relationship before the problem was introduced and then resolved all off the page. It just didn’t seem necessary? But maybe that’s just adding to what makes his life Dramatic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2025
Jonah Penrose is crushing it as the lead in the West End’s top musical, The Wooden Horse, a musical based on the story of Achilles. At the top of his game, his boyfriend decides to end their relationship; and just to throw salt in the wound, Dexter, the theater’s golden boy and originator of the lead role, reenters the cast. Dexter is too perfect, and like a true arch-nemesis he seems to be vying for Jonah’s lead role. But as they begin acting together, Jonah starts to fall for Dexter’s stupidly perfect face, though their relationship is strained by some classic theater jealousy and rivalry. Will they still be together at curtain call?
I am truly blown away that this is Robyn Green's debut novel! The #EnemiesToLovers trope works SO WELL in a theater cast: as the tensions flare, so does the romance! I may only be a casual theater fan, but no background experience is required to absolutely fall for their witty banter and ~dramatic~ love story. Like every golden boy, there are times when you want to roll your eyes at Dexter and his arrogance, but the playfulness between Jonah and him balances it all out. There are some heavier topics, such as dealing with family rejection and being the adult child of parents with chronic illnesses, but it’s a whimsical romance at the end of the day that will you leave you singing Robyn Green's praises!
Reviewed as part of #ARC from #NetGalley. Many thanks to Harper Perennial for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. #harperperennialpartner
Read this book if you like:
🛡️ The Traitors (UK) and Claudia’s questioning of who is faithful versus who is a traitor
💚 the sapphic tension in Wicked’s “What Is This Feeling?”
🏹 The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Follow me on Instagram for more book reviews!
I am truly blown away that this is Robyn Green's debut novel! The #EnemiesToLovers trope works SO WELL in a theater cast: as the tensions flare, so does the romance! I may only be a casual theater fan, but no background experience is required to absolutely fall for their witty banter and ~dramatic~ love story. Like every golden boy, there are times when you want to roll your eyes at Dexter and his arrogance, but the playfulness between Jonah and him balances it all out. There are some heavier topics, such as dealing with family rejection and being the adult child of parents with chronic illnesses, but it’s a whimsical romance at the end of the day that will you leave you singing Robyn Green's praises!
Reviewed as part of #ARC from #NetGalley. Many thanks to Harper Perennial for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. #harperperennialpartner
Read this book if you like:
🛡️ The Traitors (UK) and Claudia’s questioning of who is faithful versus who is a traitor
💚 the sapphic tension in Wicked’s “What Is This Feeling?”
🏹 The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Follow me on Instagram for more book reviews!
October 11, 2025
3.5 stars
The Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose is the debut of author Robyn Green. I definitely see so much potential with this author. The MCs, Jonah and Dexter, are very intriguing and complex characters that easily hold your interest. There is also an amazing and colorful cast of side characters that I thoroughly enjoyed. The writing is also very well done. My biggest issue was the overarching plot. The drama behind everything often felt so overly convoluted that it became almost confusing at some moments. Unfortunately, that took me out of the story at times which became a somewhat large issue for me. This book definitely has a lot of really great things going for it, but also one really big issue for me personally. That said, I would definitely read more from this author in the future since this is a debut and there were a lot of good things to love in this story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose is the debut of author Robyn Green. I definitely see so much potential with this author. The MCs, Jonah and Dexter, are very intriguing and complex characters that easily hold your interest. There is also an amazing and colorful cast of side characters that I thoroughly enjoyed. The writing is also very well done. My biggest issue was the overarching plot. The drama behind everything often felt so overly convoluted that it became almost confusing at some moments. Unfortunately, that took me out of the story at times which became a somewhat large issue for me. This book definitely has a lot of really great things going for it, but also one really big issue for me personally. That said, I would definitely read more from this author in the future since this is a debut and there were a lot of good things to love in this story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 9, 2025
I enjoyed the story and really felt Jonah’s anxiety over whether he’s good enough in his staring role at the theatre, dealing with his father’s illness, and guilt for not living closer to help his mother. Tough things for any person to deal with and so very relatable. The beginning was a little slow, but it picked up once Dexter came back to theatre. Although Dexter originated the role Jonah now has, Jonah has made it his own, but his self esteem issues keeps him thinking Dexter is trying to steal his part back. The two have great chemistry on the stage, but outside of their roles they’re constantly sniping at each other. Yet the more they work together, the more their relationship changes into something more. Overall, the story was great and their personalities seemed like people you could know in real life. I did sometimes wish it was dual POV, so we could understand why Dexter is the way he is from his own mind.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2025
I really enjoyed this debut romance about two star musical theater actors in London’s West End. Jonah and Dexter start off as enemies, and the sassy bants do not disappoint, but then their chemistry becomes undeniable as they start to like each other. My favorite part was how they continue throwing jabs at each other even when they start dating. Like they kept a bit of the enemies part of enemies-to-lovers. It’s part of their dynamic and I found it endearing. 🥰
The conflicts have to do with family and Jonah’s dad has advanced Alzheimer’s (this was slightly tough for me to read based on personal experience so please go in gently). But the conflicts also come from the show’s producer, their agents, the cast and them both competing for the role of Achilles in The Wooden Horse production they both star in. It’s a fun backstage glimpse into that life, and a love letter to musical theater. I wish I could watch them perform together IRL!
You will love this book If you’re a fan of Broadway shows, Red White & Royal Blue, or even love the story in The Song of Achilles, which I feel the musical is based off of.
••Thanks to NetGalley & Harper Collins for the ARC in exchange for a review••
The conflicts have to do with family and Jonah’s dad has advanced Alzheimer’s (this was slightly tough for me to read based on personal experience so please go in gently). But the conflicts also come from the show’s producer, their agents, the cast and them both competing for the role of Achilles in The Wooden Horse production they both star in. It’s a fun backstage glimpse into that life, and a love letter to musical theater. I wish I could watch them perform together IRL!
You will love this book If you’re a fan of Broadway shows, Red White & Royal Blue, or even love the story in The Song of Achilles, which I feel the musical is based off of.
••Thanks to NetGalley & Harper Collins for the ARC in exchange for a review••
November 10, 2025
I loved the theater bts, not the romance so much. Full review on http://instagram.com/chelseahudsonreads.
December 18, 2025
Listened to an audio book. This has all the tropes I enjoy - enemies to lovers, theatre, Greek myths (sort of...). Main characters were believable and funny. I had great time with this story.
August 3, 2025
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a perfectly-scripted romcom, the story of a man and his love for cheese…and another man, eventually. A masterful balance of happy and sad, The Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose will leave you with the same awe you felt exiting the theater after your first West End show.
Jonah and Dexter are a bad idea from the start - a near-trip at the Oliviers, an accidental kick to the balls in yoga, a faked social media relationship, and a stolen role of a lifetime all set the stage for a sizzling-hot rivalry. But just like any good performance, fake feelings get a little too real.
My heart dropped to my feet when Jonah’s dad came into the picture. Having just lost my uncle to ALS a month ago, I know what it is to watch a family member deteriorate slowly, with nothing you or anyone can do to stop it. This book helped me work through some of my own feelings - everything is easier through a character’s eyes, someone whose life is already written in a neat arc. So thank you, Robyn Green, for such a perfectly-timed story.
As an avid Greek mythology and theatre nerd myself, I adored each and every moment on- and offstage (who do I need to talk to for a Wooden Horse proshot? How do I see Cabaret staged exactly like this?). With supporting characters like Bastien, Sherrie, and Omari, every moment is full of heart. I loved my time in the Persephone, and I can’t wait for this book to hit shelves so I can have a copy on mine.
This book is a perfectly-scripted romcom, the story of a man and his love for cheese…and another man, eventually. A masterful balance of happy and sad, The Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose will leave you with the same awe you felt exiting the theater after your first West End show.
Jonah and Dexter are a bad idea from the start - a near-trip at the Oliviers, an accidental kick to the balls in yoga, a faked social media relationship, and a stolen role of a lifetime all set the stage for a sizzling-hot rivalry. But just like any good performance, fake feelings get a little too real.
My heart dropped to my feet when Jonah’s dad came into the picture. Having just lost my uncle to ALS a month ago, I know what it is to watch a family member deteriorate slowly, with nothing you or anyone can do to stop it. This book helped me work through some of my own feelings - everything is easier through a character’s eyes, someone whose life is already written in a neat arc. So thank you, Robyn Green, for such a perfectly-timed story.
As an avid Greek mythology and theatre nerd myself, I adored each and every moment on- and offstage (who do I need to talk to for a Wooden Horse proshot? How do I see Cabaret staged exactly like this?). With supporting characters like Bastien, Sherrie, and Omari, every moment is full of heart. I loved my time in the Persephone, and I can’t wait for this book to hit shelves so I can have a copy on mine.
October 21, 2025
Spice Level: 1.5/5 Closed-Door with a little Open-Door
On his way up to the stage to accept his Olivier award for his performance in The Wooden Horse, Jonah Penrose almost faceplants due to a foot sticking out in his path that belongs to an envious Dexter Ellis. Fast-forward and Dexter is now part of the cast of The Wooden Horse and Jonah is stuck having to kiss his rival every show.
Not only does Jonah have to deal with his rival and his struggling feelings for Dexter but during his rising success, his home life is seeing some personal lows. Dexter was the last person he thought would ever be there for him, but he was. Can Jonah accept his feelings for Dexter or will fame and the enticement of better roles affect a relationship that could be?
I received this audiobook from NetGalley and the Author in return for my honest review. I really enjoyed listening to this book. I appreciated the author getting right to the rivalry of Jonah and Dexter. The book opens with the Olivier Awards and Dexter trying to trip Jonah on his way to the podium to accept his award (this is a spoiler to nothing, just establishes their rivalry). The book also flows really well, in my opinion, because of the many ups and downs that Jonah experiences through the book. You get parts that make you laugh, parts that make you swoon, parts that make you want to cry, just a real mix of emotions through this book.
James Phoon is the narrator of this audiobook and I adored his performance. He brought the book to life and drew me in as soon as he started reading. I 100% recommend this book to anyone who is interested.
🎭 M M Romance
🎭 Theatre Setting
🎭 Fake Dating
🎭 Rivals
🎭 Alcohol Use (Parent)
🎭 Death (Parent)
On his way up to the stage to accept his Olivier award for his performance in The Wooden Horse, Jonah Penrose almost faceplants due to a foot sticking out in his path that belongs to an envious Dexter Ellis. Fast-forward and Dexter is now part of the cast of The Wooden Horse and Jonah is stuck having to kiss his rival every show.
Not only does Jonah have to deal with his rival and his struggling feelings for Dexter but during his rising success, his home life is seeing some personal lows. Dexter was the last person he thought would ever be there for him, but he was. Can Jonah accept his feelings for Dexter or will fame and the enticement of better roles affect a relationship that could be?
I received this audiobook from NetGalley and the Author in return for my honest review. I really enjoyed listening to this book. I appreciated the author getting right to the rivalry of Jonah and Dexter. The book opens with the Olivier Awards and Dexter trying to trip Jonah on his way to the podium to accept his award (this is a spoiler to nothing, just establishes their rivalry). The book also flows really well, in my opinion, because of the many ups and downs that Jonah experiences through the book. You get parts that make you laugh, parts that make you swoon, parts that make you want to cry, just a real mix of emotions through this book.
James Phoon is the narrator of this audiobook and I adored his performance. He brought the book to life and drew me in as soon as he started reading. I 100% recommend this book to anyone who is interested.
🎭 M M Romance
🎭 Theatre Setting
🎭 Fake Dating
🎭 Rivals
🎭 Alcohol Use (Parent)
🎭 Death (Parent)
July 20, 2025
Advanced reader's copy review
The vibes in this book were immaculate. I loved the theater setting so much and it how it helped shape the romance. I felt most of the relationship development was from the forced proximity of sharing the stage during rehearsals and performances, more than from the fake dating, which was mostly saying nice things on social media. Also I obviously loved the fact they play Achilles and Patroclus as lovers, even if it’s only for a few weeks. But I am getting ahead of myself. Let me go back Jonah, who I love so much and deserves the world. He was on such a rollercoaster ride of emotions this entire book, and had great development finding what he really wanted from his life and job and relationship. And for once I was happy with it only being Jonah’s point of view, no Dexter, because of Jonah’s journey. My one struggle was the idea that that relationship between Dexter and Jonah was ever casual. It was not, ever, casual for either of them, and I wanted them to get over that hurdle faster. But overall this was a great story that I recommend.
Thank you Harper Perennial and Netgalley for the free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
The vibes in this book were immaculate. I loved the theater setting so much and it how it helped shape the romance. I felt most of the relationship development was from the forced proximity of sharing the stage during rehearsals and performances, more than from the fake dating, which was mostly saying nice things on social media. Also I obviously loved the fact they play Achilles and Patroclus as lovers, even if it’s only for a few weeks. But I am getting ahead of myself. Let me go back Jonah, who I love so much and deserves the world. He was on such a rollercoaster ride of emotions this entire book, and had great development finding what he really wanted from his life and job and relationship. And for once I was happy with it only being Jonah’s point of view, no Dexter, because of Jonah’s journey. My one struggle was the idea that that relationship between Dexter and Jonah was ever casual. It was not, ever, casual for either of them, and I wanted them to get over that hurdle faster. But overall this was a great story that I recommend.
Thank you Harper Perennial and Netgalley for the free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
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