Fun, relatable and a little bit ridiculous. A story full of dating mishaps and cringeworthy moments. The main character feels realistic, and the storyline touches on a few more serious topics, all whilst keeping the lighthearted demeanour. I would've liked to see some more of the blog entries and the further development of the secondary characters.

An entertaining read for those looking for a laugh.

I didn't know if I liked/hated or felt sorry for Jim. An unusual theme giving an insight into both bloggers and gays. I was enthralled in the plot wondering if Jim would find his Romeo ? A really enjoyable read.

A great book, with a lot of realism and fantastic characters. It's a joy to see gay relationships take centre stage - more of this please!

I am not quite sure what drew me to this book, apart from I had a bit of a hankering for something character driven and I thought this looked promising. I also wanted a bit of a break from all the samey crime books I was currently devouring as I was getting a bit stale in my reading. Happy to say that this book ticked both those boxes for me. It had me intrigued from the off, held my attention nicely throughout and left me satisfied at the end.
Our hero of the piece is James. He's in his thirties and works for a magazine; a job that he doesn't seem to like very much. When we first meet him he has just ended a long term relationship with a guy who, from how he tells it, didn't really treat him that well. He is on a bit of a downer to be honest and has quite low self esteem. Which is why he is initially reluctant when his BFF decides that he needs to get back on the horse and start dating again. After a few rather "interesting" dates he secured courtesy of a dating app, but he capitulates and decides to start an anonymous blog about his quest to find his Last Romeo. Changing some key details to protect the often "not so" innocent. His blog really kicks off and he becomes a bit obsessed with the albeit anonymous notoriety that goes hand in hand but this change in behaviour is noticed and not much welcomed by his inner circle of friends. His on and offline personas start to conflict and affect each other and his world becomes all about secrets and lies as it all starts to unravel around him. Our story then switches focus to include James's mission to find himself as well as his Last Romeo.
I wasn't quite sure what I was getting myself into what I started this book. I had never heard of The Guyliner before, let alone read any of his stuff but the whole premise of finding love online did pique my interest and I was looking forward to reading about his disastrous dates and car crash escapades. What I didn't expect, and really enjoyed, was his "coming of age" tale. How he matured through the book, blossomed even. I wasn't quite sure how I felt about him at the start but I left the book with the feeling that I am going to miss him.
It's also very funny in parts, the way he described some of the dates he had and the people he met had me in stitches. On the flip side, some of them also made me cringe. And then there were the more tender moments that kept the book balanced. There are some very funny one liners in the book too, and some great interaction and banter between the characters.
It was also one of the most readable books I have read in a while. There was no unnecessary waffle for padding / word count sake and the words simply flowed off the page for me as it was written in everyday language with no pretension; again a refreshing change for me these days. It was light hearted but at the same time serious, honestly, that does make sense!
All in all, a good solid read that kept my attention nicely throughout. Hopefully a follow up will not be too long coming as I really am going to miss James.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I really REALLY enjoyed this book! It was so funny and at time brutally honest about dating after a relationship, I LOVED Jim as a character he was so relatable but at times frustrating with the whole sense of Romeo going to his head.

I could NOT put this down and stayed up to find out who the Last Romeo was going to be (thankfully I was right and wanted to know more, BUT I'm still happy overall)

I loved how open and honest it was, and sometimes people struggle with identifying who they are, one of my best friends was in a relationship with someone who wasn't out, and Nate was just like him.

There was LOTS of drama, bitchyness, the use of Sashay (living) references to the UK that I loved!

My only let downs for this was
- things seemed to come to ahead very quickly towards the end
- I don't know if I missed it but who was Nate with and who told him? (It could of been Curtis I'm not sure)
- Then how Jim was AFTER the break up of him and Nate and pushing away from his friends and the whole pool incident.

Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this, it was fun, hilarious and I need a blog/twitter like this in my life!

Thank you for the ARC! :)

Thanks to NetGalley and Justin Myers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've been a big fan of Justin's writing for a while now, so was really excited about reading his first book. The novel focuses on James, a thirtysomething who has just got out of a rather dysfunctional relationship. He starts dating again and writes about these dates on a blog - he intends to chronicle all his dates until he meets 'The Last Romeo', or the person he's meant to be with. We meet his colleagues, friends and his dates along the way, and see how writing a blog about your life (and having a secret alias) can be problematic and difficult to manage.

I really enjoyed reading this book, but unfortunately I can't say that I loved it. That said. it's an easy-going, fun book about the issues surrounding modern dating and the internet's influence. It would have been nice to have a few more of the blog entries, as they really show off Justin's skill as a writer, and they're obviously central to the plot, but there didn't seem to be very many in total.

It's important to note that this is definitely not Bridget Jones - there's a level of maturity to the writing and experiences that Bridget does not possess. James does not seem to be 'desperate' and the book isn't about his comical japes. I personally thought it was more about how difficult it is to find intelligent, rational people through dating apps as you're getting older. The humour comes from James' meetings with those who don't really live up to his expectations, rather than the jokes being at his own expense.

All in all, a good holiday read which I would happily recommend.

Review: This is a book I would not normally read however I am glad I did as it was lovely. A modern day romance.

Funny, real, touching and made me blush empathetically several times. I enjoyed Jim as a character and appreciated the way he did learn from his mistakes (eventually!).

Entertaining story about the gay dating world, becoming an internet celebrity and finding oneself. It's funny and enjoyable.

I've loved Justin's writing all throughout his anonymous years and this book didn't disappoint. I read the whole thing during a boring wait for a delayed flight and didn't want it to end. He writes so honestly and with such a funny turn of phrase; I can't wait for what he does next.

A really funny, flirty, lighthearted read with relatable characters who you cared about.

I think it's hard to find a good rom com book these days but this was great!

Thanks to NetGalley, Piatkus and Justin Myers for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Justin Myers is The Guyliner, whose blog of that name contains one of my favourite regular online features. It’s a bit niche, so bear with me while I explain. The blog deals with many aspects of modern life – particularly as seen by a gay man in contemporary London. Dating is a huge part of that, and so at some point he took to reading the addictive Blind Date column in the Guardian newspaper’s Saturday magazine every week (just what it sounds like: the Guardian introduces two people over a restaurant dinner, and then questions them separately about how it went.) Myers had the brilliant idea of providing a commentary each week on the participants, and their chance of finding true love this way. One of the standard questions asked of the would-be daters is ‘Good Table Manners?’ and Myers feature is called after the standard answer: ‘Impeccable’.

If this is sounding too meta and complicated, the point is that it is hysterically funny, because he says things you thought yourself, and then things that would never have occurred to you. I suspect the commentary would be funny even if you hadn’t read the original article: here’s a chance to try it out. This particular Impeccable Table Manners features someone I know in real life, so give it a go and get a feel for his style…

And now Justin Myers has written a novel, which is a hilarious and charming story of a mid-30s gay man, just out of a bad relationship, looking for love via internet dating apps. He is simultaneously writing a dating blog called The Last Romeo, while working at a celebrity gossip website, and various complications arise from all this. Although many of the tropes here will be familiar – James has his Greek chorus of commenting friends giving advice, there are secrets and lies, he has to make peace with the ex – and although I have read about a million books about contemporary life, I have actually never read a novel like this: I had to think hard, but no.

I have of course read many books that feature gay characters and protagonists, and books about daters, and books about the social whirl of London, and about internet dating. But never one with this exact combination. And it is a great book – I loved it. The endless dates keep the pace going, and he is very funny and observant. Someone said to me recently ‘I love descriptions of someone getting ready for a date and trying to decide what to wear’, and I hard agreed: this book has several strong examples.

The fact that a lot of it feels autobiographical (it very much reflects his own story arc as far as one can tell) is slightly odd, but in the end doesn’t matter. And I loved the combination, for me, of areas I knew a lot about, and other sidelines which were completely new to me. Informative!

And it is very very funny.
‘I acted like we’d been going out for years.’
‘What, you stopped having sex and started arguing over council tax?’
and
When the table’s occupants claimed the seat was taken, Curtis pretended to inspect it closely, bellowing, ‘By whom? An ant? I can’t see anyone on there.’
‘Jack this is Curtis.’ I gestured at each of them like an air hostess pointing out the emergency exits.
[Curtis is a truly fabulous character: there should’ve been more of him.]

Apart from all this – the use of blogging in the book was excellent. I am operating in a very different part of the blogosphere, so (as with dating and modern life) there were things that resonated and other areas that were completely unfamiliar, and that added to the fascination. All bloggers would find something to enjoy and recognize here, even if they review novels rather than potential life (or sex) partners.

The book is very definitely a first novel, and could have been edited a touch more, but who cares? It was tremendously entertaining. I have recently read two other books about modern life, covering similar areas (one a memoir, which I blogged on, and one a novel, not on the blog). Both are being much feted and acclaimed, and are apparently best-sellers earning back their huge advances. Neither is half as enjoyable as The Last Romeo. (I see that I have assumed there that Myers’ book was not the subject of a multi-publisher bidding war - if wrong I apologize, and congratulate him.)

This is the first book I have read that is from the point of view of a gay man. I must say I thoroughly enjoyed this story and will be looking for other books in this genre.

When I started I didn't know what to expect and yet I stayed awake reading all night as I couldn't put it down. I found myself really hoping that the main character James got his happy ending!

I'm really hoping we get to read more from the author very soon!

I was really excited to read The Last Romeo, as I’ve followed the Guyliner on twitter and via his blog for many years. And it’s great – a really fun read, hard to put down. For me it gets three stars because I really LIKED it but didn’t LOVE it – there were things I’d suggest changing and the ending felt rushed and unsatisfactory. But it’s really well written, full of the Guyliner’s acerbic wit that I’m familiar with, and makes some interesting comments on journalism and blogging, and how far is too far for good content.

I thought all the characters were really well drawn, and Myers doesn’t rely on clichés. It very much felt based on his friends and own experiences, and I found myself wondering whether the fictional Snap! magazine was meant to be Heat or the Daily Mail, and if the character of Nate was based on anyone real. Overall, it’s a great romantic comedy that would be an excellent holiday read.

I was supplied an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Romeo

Justin Myers

Little, Brown UK



Break-ups are hideous. Even if an ex is toxic, or you realise they are just not right for you, there is no such thing as a good break-up.

Once you’ve had a good cry, gone for a run and loaded up a Madonna playlist, it’s time to get back out there and start dating again.

This is where The Last Romeo comes in.

The Last Romeo is the first novel from Justin Myers, also known as The Guyliner, whose online writing is some of the wittiest I’ve read in a long time. Also, if you don’t already read Myers’s reviews of the Guardian’s Blind Date column, you need it in your life. Seriously, it is a treat.

In the novel, James Brodie (Jim), a 34 year old writer for Snap! Magazine, has just ended a six year relationship with a gym-obsessed ex, hates his job and his best friend announces she is moving to Russia.

He creates an anonymous dating blog as Romeo, in search of his ideal match, “The Last Romeo” and candidly documents the highs, lows and comically ridiculous nature of dating in London.

Beautifully written and packed full of sass, the dates are brilliantly described, as is the run-in with his ex (seriously, I spilt my cup of tea laughing at his description of imagining his ex having sex with a new partner as “nothing more than…a couple of John Lewis gift cards sliding around on top of one another”).

Although packed with tons of well-meaning friends, cosy Sunday lunches and fun friends that come over with a bottle of vodka, the most moving part of the book for me is where James begins to questions where Jim starts and Romeo ends.

I won’t give away the ending, but quite often Romeo is right under your nose.

Read it, enjoy it and then buy a copy for all your friends, especially if they promise to come round with a bottle of something warming and dance around your living room with you to Madonna.



Thank you to Little, Brown and Net Galley for the advance copy.

Going in to this book I wasn't sure what to expect, but I can safely say this is the most fun I've had reading a book in a while. It was a queer romance layed out like your stereotypical heterosexual romcom, and I think the world needs more of these.
I found Jim an easy character to like, even when he's making bad decisions, and found him very unique.
My only problem with the book was towards the end, I felt like it lost sight, but it didn't derive from my overall enjoyment, and I would definitely recommened this book to others.

This was put in my list without my permission so I did not read it.

Like other reviewers I know Justin Myers from his Guyliner blog (that’s still a great name for a blog) and his work for the Guardian. He’s a really funny and entertaining writer, so I was looking forward to reading The Last Romeo.

He’s clearly drawn on his own experiences for this novel, as the narrator, newly-single Justin, I mean James - having ended his six-year relationship with the hypercritical Adam - goes on dates (some awful, some less so) and blogs about them in a search for the eponymous Last Romeo... the elusive Mr. Right. James’s life is needing a bit of shaking up - his job is uninspiring, his best friend Bella has scarpered the country to work for a Russian oligarch, and he’s suddenly persona non grata among his ex’s large group of friends. With a bit of encouragement he throws himself into the dating scene and soon builds up a loyal following on his anonymous blog, One More Romeo.

When James accidentally goes on a date with - and subsequently blogs about - an incognito gold-medal-winning Olympian, though, all hell breaks loose.

Can James weather the Internet storms? And who - if anyone -will become his Last Romeo?

There’s a great cast of supporting characters - not only the various Romeos but James’s friends Nicole and Richie (yes, really) and their sons to whom James is godfather; best friend Bella; the seemingly ever-present Curtis; and James’s workmates Alicha and Hurley (I couldn’t help picturing the fella from Lost for the latter, though, which wasn’t the right image *at all*).

Funny, warm, insightful and immensely likeable, this was a brilliant read. Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

Now, I'm not usually one for commercial fiction on dating or romantic relationships - Bridget Jones was never for me - but I fell for this debut novel from Justin Myers as it bring s a fresh take and a bit of gritty realism to our lives today.

Now, most will probably know Justin better as The Guyliner, his pseudonym under which he wrote anonymous blogs about the fun and struggles he had online dating. This book, The Last Romeo, seems very much based on that with the main character, James, starting an anonymous blog titled, The Last Romeo, through which he shares the comedic highs and the bittersweet lows of online dating in London.

However, in this novel, James finds himself in deep water sooner than he anticipated as his secret life starts taking over from his own life, and he finds the pressure of keeping his secrets - and the secrets of those he dates - ever more difficult to maintain.

I loved this book as it isn't twee, sickly or overly sentimental. In the book, James is a gay man in his mid-thirties - and in both sexuality and age, this book makes for a fresh take on a familiar theme. The stakes seem higher - you cant take the risks with your heart that you could in your twenties - and each character here comes with that little bit more baggage. i found this affecting, realistic and a real page-turner. Anyone familiar with The Guyliner blog will know Justin is a witty, sharp but insightful writer - and all that is found in these pages also. Terrific.

James has just ended his relationship after 6 years, so is single and back on the dating scene. Meeting someone online seems to be the way, so he sets up his profile and starts dating again, searching for his Romeo. He starts a blog about his dating exploits, but how long till his life as a mystery blogger is uncovered?
A witty read!