One of those uplfiting and sweet books that you'll love and think about for a long time to come. If you like books such as the Rosie Project or the 100 year old man, then this is probably a book for you.

A feel-good novel that will make you laugh and cry. The perfect book club read for fans of The Rosie Project, A Man Called Ove, and The Keeper of Lost Things . Charming, quirky, and bursting with heart.

Sam lives a very solitary life. He also lives a very structured life. By day he works hard for a Japanese firm and by night he patrols the streets as The Phantasm. He lives this way to bury the unbearable pain deep within him and to avoid the reality of his lonely existence. But when he meets a gorgeous lady, can he continue to compartmentalise his life or will he be able to take the plunge and learn to open his heart again?

I loved this book so much and I absolutely adore Sam. He is a kind and gentle young man deeply lacking in self confidence and hugely affected by the worst kind of pain and loss. He is written in such a way that you genuinely feel you are getting to know someone very unique and hugely special throughout the story.

If you think the book a little odd to start with I urge you to carry on reading as this is such a heart warming and life affirming novel, written with such heart and depth, that you’ll miss out heaps if you don’t see it through. It is an easy read, not heavy at all, and has some very funny moments along with those that will tug on your heart strings. Most definitely recommended!

Thank you for #NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of #TheUnlikelyHeroicsOfSamHolloway in return for an honest review.

A sweet, endearing book. It felt like a very real and human story. This was an easy and enjoyable read with well-developed characters, and it was a quirky story which I always enjoy - quirky without being try-hard.

This is a really enjoyable read, full of lovely humour and engaging characters. I was completely wrapped up in the story and I loved the ending, which was very satisfying.

Sam is very sad
It takes us some time to find out but we do.
He is however, surrounded by people who care for him - he just needs to find this out.
Dressing as a superhero is not really helping him do this but it gets him through the worst times.
Made me smile, and definitely wipe away a tear.

Please note that this book is not for me - I have read the book, and because i do not like to give negative reviews I will not review this book fully - there is no specific reason for not liking this book. I found it a struggle to read and did not enjoy trying to force myself to read this book.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused and thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

I took a while warming to Sam. It was obvious he had demons and something tragic happened to him. But the development of his character felt very shallow and I couldnt connect to his grief or his anger. I did however connect to his loneliness and that was the redeeming feature. The panic he felt when he screwed up at work felt the truest and most vulnerable part of the book.

I enjoyed how invincible and full of courage Sam felt as the Phantasm and the way the writing changed style to reflect that. I thought it was a good concept, executed not very well. The ending felt rushed, I wasnt sure of certain elements, and I wasnt a big fan of any of the characters in the book. I was glad of the happy ending though so a part of me did end up caring about Sam

This was a book I saw many tweets about and was intrigued by the cover description – “This is no ordinary love story and Sam is no typical hero”.

Well, I have to say, as soon as Sam is introduced at the start of this book, I loved him. I’m sure most of us are familiar now with characters like Elinor Oliphant who have bulit carefully constructed worlds around themselves – everything in its place so that nothing can get out of their control. This is Sam.

He uses this sense of control to block out a painful past. Something that continually haunts him. However, the very start of the book brings in a new dimension. Sam is also a superhero, patrolling the streets at night, bringing his own brand of justice to those who cause harm.

The descriptions of Sam and his activities are really endearing. He has maybe let himself get too carried away to the point where he pushes himself a bit too far, believing he is invincible. He gets himself into some scrapes that are quite comical and made me laugh out loud. The scene with the Polish lorry driver seriously cracked me up! 😁

Others characters we are then introduced to, are his two friends who are quite geeky and encourage him to be out a bit more (trips to the pub and laser quest for example). This is how, after an initial encounter, he gets to know Sarah.

I found the initial stages of their friendship so heart-warming and very cute. I loved his thoughts about how beautiful she is, coupled with his surprise at her actually wanting to spend time with him and get to know him.

There is a point where we come to the Christmas season in the book which I loved. The big house they were all in, the woods surrounding it and the food. It was all so atmospheric and the tension building between Sam and Sarah was amazing.

At the start of the book I could never had imagined the direction the storyline would end up taking and that is a real gift in the author’s writing. There are plenty of twists and turns and some quite dramatic events that you wouldn’t necessarily see coming.

The love story between Sam and Sarah was beautiful, at points quite heartbreaking and really well written. He has to decide to be vulnerable with her and let her in, something he’s avoided doing for so long. The relationship is not at all plain sailing and Sarah has some past secrets of her own. The pain that came across in one particular low point in their relationship was reflected in Sam words “I love you, but I know I can be happier without you.”

Sam’s journey throughout this book is filled with drama, epiphanies, some quite weird moments (including a spontaneous trip to Japan!) but most of all love. It’s not just about romantic love. The people in his life care about him and get him through his hurt and grief. They persist, they show him how much they care and he realises that life is worth living.

This book took me by surprise. It had a wonderful and sometimes surprising storyline, a fantastic cast of characters and a very loveable hero in Sam. He has his moment of glory culminating in a heart-rending and satisfying conclusion.

I whole-heartedly recommend this book. I loved every page of it and I didn’t want it to end.

I really enjoyed this book, as the story is well told and very unique.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but Rhys Thomas has created a wonderful, likeable character. Throughout the book we find out more about Sam’s past and why he feels the need to become a superhero a few nights a week. The book is equal parts funny (I laughed out loud on more than one occasion), touching and sad but the ending was satifying.

The first of Rhys Thomas’ books I have read, but I will be on the lookout for more.

At night time Sam Holloway patrols the streets in a costume fighting crime. During the day he's an introverted geek who keeps himself to himself. The other reviews on this book are excellent and it came so highly recommended but I just couldn't take to it at all and found it painfully boring and it didn't hook me in at all.

‘The two most important things in life are to be brave and to be good.’

As a child, Sam recalls being told by his mother that he was ‘a sensitive boy’. He is indeed sensitive but I think a more appropriate description might be ‘humane’. Sam is intensely aware of the needs of others, their daily struggles and their feelings. He also has an appreciation of how each person in their own way contributes to society and, indirectly, to his own well-being and creature comforts. ‘Sitting down to a nice cup of coffee. And yet we go about our lives without ever thinking of the people working whole lifetimes on coffee plantations, living awful hand-to-mouth existences in the hope things will be better for their kids, but they never are, and all that so we may enjoy sugar-free gingerbread one-shot skinny decaf lattes with a sprinkling of cinnamon in lovely coffee shops who falsely claim ethical perfection.’

This aspect of Sam’s character really comes to the fore when an incident occurs that affects the operation of the company for which he works. It also triggers distressing reminders of the traumatic and tragic event which has shaped his life and to which his response has been to adopt a regimented, ordered existence – what he himself describes as seeking a ‘stable state for his soul’. Unfortunately, that stability will prove to be precarious as events unfold that are outside his control.

To my mind, Sam is a superhero, not just because of the brave and selfless acts he carries out when he becomes his alter ego The Phantasm, but because of what he has endured in his life and the fact he is still carrying on despite everything. Having said that, I defy anyone not to shed a little tear at the description of Sam’s usual Christmas Day routine. Then a chance – or if you believe in such things, fated – encounter brings him the possibility of a much brighter future but one which will test Sam’s fortitude to the limit.

The Unlikely Heroics of Sam Holloway is a story of grief and guilt but also of friendship, generosity, love, the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of community. It delivers a powerful message about knowing when to reach out to others, having the courage to let people get close to you and being willing to accept help when that is the hardest thing you can imagine. In case this makes the book sound heavy, I’ll also say that it is written with real wit and humour.

I received a review copy courtesy of publishers, Wildfire Books, and Anne at Random Things Tours in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Sam Holloway is a quiet some would say introverted man of twenty six. He lives in an immaculately kept huse. He is a model employee of a Japanese parts firm. He spends some of his time with two equally average young men. He doesn't like to draw attention to himself.

But Sam has a secret. At night he is The Phantasm- a Superhero- who goes about looking for ways to do good. These acts are of the simpler kind, like carrying old ladies shopping or rescuing lost dogs, but one day he ,ay do something earth shattering!

When Sam meets a girl he struggles to find the courage to show who he really is. Can he really fight is way out of his lonely existence and form a real bond with someone- someone who will care for him because of his quirks and not in spite of them.

I really felt for poor Sam, he was such a lonely man and it makes you wonder how many people out there are like him. I was really hoping for a happy ending for him.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me meet & fall little in love with Sam Holloway.

This book broke me.

For approximately the last third (and for about ten further minutes after putting it down) I sat gripping it tightly with tears streaming down my face. I’m still suffering from the emotional hangover hours later!

Truly The Unlikely Heroics of Sam Holloway is a brilliantly crafted and terribly raw story; perfectly capturing the awkward clumsiness of real life in comparison to the heroic narratives we devour and imagine ourselves part of.

We read comics and picture Batman (or your hero of choice) slipping silently through the shadows then BAM POW taking out the bad guys with expert precision. Sam’s Phantasm brings that to painful, funny-but-achingly-sad life with his utility belt full of smoke bombs and Cherry Coke, rape alarm and chocolate bars.

I can see why this book has been compared to Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. There are definite similarities in both plotline and characterisation, as both novels feature a protagonist who has dealt with great personal tragedy by withdrawing from the outside world into a tightly-controlled isolation of routine and comfort. It is also human contact, via friendship and/or romance, that sparks the fuse that begins both Sam and Eleanor’s journeys towards a happier life.

Still, I was more concerned for Sam. The most concerned for him that I think I have ever been whilst reading, and I am a Robin Hobb fan! The whole experience of watching his carefully-constructed life detonate in slow motion is heartbreakingly tense, especially as the reader sees each brick fall long before Sam ‘Denial’ Holloway acknowledges the impact!

I can’t recommend this book enough. Book groups, fans of superhero narratives, those who like humour and/or pathos, romance, action, emotion. Buy it, read it and come talk to me about it!




For Sam the magic of stories went far deeper than mere entertainment – they wove an alternate reality in which he could feel less alone. When Harry and his friends went to Diagon Alley for sweets or wands or broomsticks, he was right there with them. He loved the world the author built, felt himself sliding off his bed and into the pages of the book, into another universe. This transporting experience, where he could be with other people, was immensely powerful, and it was in books he found his first real friends.

– Rhys Thomas, The Unlikely Heroics of Sam Holloway

Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog

I'm not quite sure where to begin other than to say what a gem this book is! There are so many layers to this story that made it so wonderful. I can safely say that I was hooked from the first page and the whole story is pretty magical.

Sam is such an intriguing and captivating character as you read on you soon come to realise that something terrible happened in the past to send him on a certain path and showing how a certain superhero was born. I felt such an emotional connection to his character that was wonderful but there was also humour that provided a lovely balance. I have to say that some of the antics in this book were so entertaining making a brilliant and spirited addition. There is an awkwardness to Sam's character that I found so loveable and I could feel myself nodding along with him at certain parts.

With issues such as grief and loneliness it can be heartbreaking at times to read (there were tears) but the way Rhys Thomas writes this story also gives a sense of hope that Sam and the reader is seeking. I was completely caught up in Sam's world, there is romance and it does play an important part. However for me it is the journey that Sam takes that stands out for me. I found him relatable even if some of his actions are on occasion extreme but who knows how any of us would react in those circumstances. I have to admit I didn't want Sam's story to end!

Quirky, endearing and ever so beautiful!

Five stars from me!

With thanks to Anne Cater for the tour invite and to Headline for my copy via Netgalley.

When one of the lines in the book you are reading is ‘Tonight was handkerchief-ironing night.’, you know you are not reading about an ordinary man, and the titular character in The Unlikely Heroics of Sam Holloway is very far from ordinary. Even when he was a child, Sam was not ordinary. He was one of the socially awkward, uninspiring, wallpaper kids at school – too unattractive and uncool to be popular, but not different enough to be a stand-out in that way either. He always had few friends and was lonely and the passing of years and the occurrence of The Event have only exacerbated the problem.

Sam is an incredibly lonely, lost and unhappy person and it has been a long time since I have felt so acutely the simple pain of living from day to day for any character in a novel. The author does an amazing job of painting Sam and his desperate attempts to manage his life in the face of the gaping voids in his existence in such a way that the small slights and disappointments of his every day existence slice through you in exactly the same way as they do through him. He tries so hard to be a good person in a world where nobody cares, he is so unimportant, and it is excruciating to read.

Sam has managed to find a way to get through every day by way of an extremely ordered and routine life and he is unprepared for anything the upsets this routine. He mostly hides away in his house with his comics and movies, only venturing out occasionally with his very few friends who are as much misfits as he is, the only reason he believes they became friends. And on three nights a week, Sam dons a costume and mask and goes out onto the dark streets of his home town to fight crimes as The Phantasm. Then a girl comes into his life and threatens to turn everything upside down.

The plot sounds outlandish but the book is written in such a way that it is completely understandable as to why Sam is doing what he does and my heart broke for him all the way through because his pain and loneliness and feelings of impotence leapt off the page and made me totally sympathise with his actions. Any one who has ever struggled with any kind of anxiety or depression will recognise the need to try and impose some kind of control over their world, and also find means of escape. This passage particularly resonated with me – “He’d never read them all, but it didn’t matter. Just the sheer volume of stories made him feel safe.” He is talking about his collection of comic books but I feel exactly the same way about my huge library and my compulsive book buying. A lot of people will recognise elements of themselves in Sam if they really think about it.

All the way through the book I was willing things to work out for Sam but truly feeling that they wouldn’t, mostly because he isn’t even sure he wants them to, he is so afraid of stepping out of the comfortable cocoon he has hid himself in and he has a huge capacity for self-sabotage. There are even times where I disliked him slightly, because he acts in a way that is cruel, but it is all done through self-protection and fear. He is a really complex character and I was totally invested in the story from beginning to end, despite how uncomfortable I found parts of it to read.

I really enjoyed the chapters which were written as The Phantasm and the author does it very cleverly in a comic book style, it was easy to follow when he was in character and when he wasn’t.

This book is entertaining, heart-breakingly sad but ultimately uplifting and is one of then most worthwhile books I have read this year. They have described it as hilarious, I didn’t find it so, although it was amusing in places, but what it I did find it to be was a beautiful, moving and very truthful portrayal of loss, loneliness, awkwardness, second chances and the redeeming power of love, friendship and the kindness of people who refuse to give up on you, no matter what. It will stay with me for a long while.

I really enjoyed this easy to read, fun and quirky story about Sam. A geeky, introverted, socially-awkward guy who has found his calling! Brilliantly different and the perfect uplifting holiday read.

Sam Holloway is a superhero!  Three nights a week he puts on his superhero costume and takes to the street to fight crime.  Sam’s ‘normal’ life is anything from normal.  Thanks to Sam’s past, he has put up so many walls around him that he doesn’t really ‘live’ – apart from when he’s a superhero!  This is his life, until one day he meets a girl, and she begins to break down his walls….

This was my first book by this author.  I was drawn to the cover, which looked so fun and cheery!  The book was in a way like this, but it was also full of heart-breaking and heart-warming moments.  Sam’s character was wonderful – I just loved him from the first word!  As the story moves on, you realise Sam has had such a lonely childhood which has continued into his childhood.  The story switches between Sam’s present day story to him growing up and the transition between these two times are done so well and aren’t confusing in the least.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.  There are so many good things about it that I can't mention them all.  My favourite parts are, of course, when Sam is in his superhero persona!  These moments are so beautifully done but also so funny and light-hearted!  I felt such a warm glow reading this book, something I rarely get from other books.  It is not just a book about loneliness, loss and sadness, but also about friendship, love and understanding!  Highly recommended!

Not all super-heroes wear capes, but Sam does, although someone should tell him he doesn't need a costume to be brave. This was a delightful and easy book to read, it's filled with heartbreak and sadness, is uplifting, but shows us that tragedy doesn't have to define you. It can shape you but should never become and define you.

A 'hero' you won't forget.

This is the kind of story you begin and soon snuggle into, wrapping yourself up in a sympathetic character, trusting the author to guide your emotions and take you to a satisfying conclusion.

At times though it feels too sad. We meet a real-life superhero, a young man who dresses as a comic-style champion. Sam assumes this alter-ego several times a week, looking for wrong-doers and those in need. The rest of the time he lives by strict routine, works in a mundane job, unwillingly meets some old schoolfriends for social occasions.

He's an enigma... a dull-seeming everyman, but also a masked protector. You can't help but be intrigued at the incongruity, especially when the two sides clash:
"(Superhero belt) has seven pouches for, as the product description said: pistol, double pistol, magazine clips, baton and handcuffs. Instead Sam had: length of twine: smoke bombs, compass, notepad and pen, hand warmer, tape measure, laser pointer, £100 cash, cat treats, torch, asthma pump, rape alarm."

Love it. We also get small hints at a troubled past:
"By keeping things regimented and ordered Sam was able to create a stable state for his soul."

We eventually learn, bit by bit, what has happened in Sam's past to spilt his life and it's heart-wrenching. Both the descriptions of Sam's life 'pre' his terrible ordeal and grief afterwards feel terribly realistic.

Sam of course is given a life-changing encounter by the author, forced to re-assess his life and priorities, face his demons and past. It's painful but also warming to watch as he works through his issues - the awful events referred to throughout happening at a very awkward time in a person's life, as he hovered between adolescence and independent adulthood, 'betwixt and between'.

The psychology of Sam is a character in itself, though Thomas also creates some decent minor characters too - his friends, a potential love interest, an enigmatical boss.

I enjoyed the subplot of Sam's workplace as well, it weaves in and out of Sam's personal crises and fitted in nicely with the plot.

You may ache a little with sadness, but Sam's story is also stirring and has its own quiet humour. An easy enough summer read with depth and affability.

With thanks to Netgalley for the sample reading copy.