We Could Be Heroes

A 2025 Lambda Literary Award Finalist

As seen in the New York Times
One of Buzzfeed’s Must Read Romances this Spring
One of Men’s Health’s Best LGBTQ+ Books To Read For Pride

“It’s a great setup for a joke: A superhero walks into a gay bar and gets rescued from avid fans by a drag queen. It’s also where we begin Philip Ellis’s contemporary romance We Could Be Heroes . . . . This is one of those everything books: You laugh, you cry. Also, to my great joy, there’s a secondary plotline about postwar comic creators that is a love letter to Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay.” —New York Times Book Review

“Funny, sweet, and raunchy in all the right places. But you’d never expect a story about a superhero movie star to feel so relatable…On top of great writing, what stands out about We Could Be Heroes is the sincerity of it: families (drag and chosen) who are warm, familiar, and catty as hell; a palpable struggle of wants and expectations; the realness of observations from jaded teenagers and close friends, without airs. . . . Like the superhuman figure bolting through the skies aglow in ‘strange vermilion light,’ Ellis’ sharp and sweet chapters fly by before you know it.” —NW Theatre

“[A] sweet comedy.” —The Film Stage

“An exciting romance between an up-and-coming actor and a bookseller/drag queen.” —Men’s Health

“Can the hot romance between a ‘superhero’ and a drag performer save the world? Patrick and Will meet on a chaotic night and become unexpected friends. Find out what happens when the mask and the wig come off and their burgeoning romance puts them under the spotlight.” —Los Angeles Times

“A perfect beach read.” —Red Carpet Crash

“Ellis creates a winning world full of snappy banter, drag queens fighting for justice, and found family. Both characters’ lives are fully drawn out and feature an array of quirky, entertaining side characters. A subplot involving the creators of Captain Kismet drives home the point that queer creators have always been present in the comics world, and (much like Patrick and Will) they managed to find joy even when facing oppression and heartbreak. A fun and hopeful romance, perfect for superhero fans and comics readers.” —Kirkus Reviews

“With this funny and fast-paced contemporary, Ellis (Love & Other Scams) makes the familiar story of a closeted movie star feel fresh . . . Ellis brings both wit and empathy to bear throughout and crafts characters readers will root for. This is a delight.” —Publishers Weekly

“For books set in the entertainment industry . . . you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better romance novel than We Could Be Heroes.” —Buzzfeed

“Comforting and scintillating all at once, We Could Be Heroes is a joyful romance that had me laughing, crying, and rooting for these heroes from page one.” —Ashley Herring Blake, author of Delilah Green Doesn’t Care

“What an adventure! We Could Be Heroes is a triumphant gay love story that’s wise, witty, and chock full of engaging characters who have the most important superpowers of all—integrity, heart, and, of course, a great wig or two.” —Byron Lane, author of A Star is Bored

“Like all the best superheroes — and drag queens — We Could Be Heroes is an outrageously fun time with a beautifully human heart beating behind the costume. With swoon-worthy chemistry, pitch-perfect humor, and a poignant dash of history woven seamlessly into the ultra-modern narrative, Philip Ellis has delivered a dazzling and unique rom-com.” —Nicolas DiDomizio, author of Nearlywed

“It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s a fiercely electric romance that I couldn’t put down. You’ll be turning the pages of We Could Be Heroes with supersonic speed and wishing you could erase your own memory to experience all the feels again for the first time.” —Timothy Janovsky, author of The (Fake) Dating Game

“We Could Be Heroes is a total delight. I adored Patrick, Will, and the entire cast of characters.” —Cat Sebastian, author of The Queer Principles of Kit Webb