Romeo for Real (Lorimer Real Love)

by Markus Harwood-Jones

A young man comes to terms with his sexuality in a modern retelling of a Shakespearean classic. When Romeo's homophobic friends can't accept him as gay, he must prove that his love for Julian is real.

• ISBN10: 1459412966
• ISBN13: 9781459412965
• Publish Date: 1 August 2018 (first published 1 February 2018)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: CA
• Imprint: James Lorimer and Company Ltd., Publishers
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 168
• Language: English

Reviews

[layawaydragon]

Content Warning: Homophobic bullying and parents, Transphobic Asshole, Hate Crimes, PTSD, Self-harm,

At first, I was confused why Just Julian and Romeo For Real were split up into two stories. It became clear by the end. They obviously compliment each other, but both characters focus on different aspects of their story and have different conclusions for their character arcs.

Just Julian is not as exciting as Romeo For Real in the beginning, while at the end the reverse is true. They remind me a bit of the Rainbow Boys series - amplified angst and love with a bunch of different issues going on.

I hate to say it, but I could tell this was a new author. It felt amateurish and not polished. BUT there's a ton of potential!! I really hope Harwood-Jones doesn't let the less than stellar reviews stop them. I'll be keeping eye out for more of his work. If you haven't, you should check out his website. https://starkisscreations.com/

I can't say if the books are worth purchasing, but I can say the author is worth supporting. I think if kids are struggling with the same issues as Julian (PTSD, overshadowed by parent) or Romeo (clueless, closeted, surrounded by homophobes) that it's worth checking out. The reading level would be easy enough for middle and jr. high kids as an intimidating introduction to QUILTBAG content.