Not That Kind of Hero – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: Romance, friendship, drama, family, emotional.
YA book title: Not That Kind of Hero.
YA author: Alexia Casale.
Genre: Romantic drama.
Published by: Faber.
ISBN: 9780571374380.
Recommended for children aged: 14+ year-olds.
First published: Paperback April 2025.
This children’s book is ideal for: KS3 & KS4 romance fans.
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Our review:
There’s a poster on our kitchen wall … that insists, ‘If you want a happy ending, you have to be the hero of your own story’.
I hate that bloody poster.
Seventeen-year-old Orla has always been content with playing the role of sidekick. While her mum and siblings are all confident, hero-type figures, Orla is happy to stay out of the limelight. Supporting her mum helped her escape an abusive marriage, and Orla is determined to do everything she can to protect the safety and security of her family.
That’s one of the great things about being a sidekick – I can face anything if someone needs me to have their back.
When she takes a risk and applies for a place on an elite drama course over the Christmas holidays, Orla suddenly finds herself playing a bigger role than she ever anticipated. For the first time in her life, she’s centre stage – and rather than shying away from the limelight, she realises she loves it.
It’s not all smooth sailing, though. Most of her course mates come from wealthy families, whereas Orla has to work to pay her way, all while trying to balance her studies with her family responsibilities.
Then there’s the nagging potential romance issue. It’s never been a priority before – sidekicks rarely get a love interest. But when her cute classmate Cassian starts flirting with her, a whole new avenue of possibilities opens up.
He’s irritatingly gorgeous – emphasis on irritating – but that doesn’t mean I’m crushing on –
Oh God, I’m crushing on him so bad.
As the course’s final production looms, with a scholarship to a full drama course at stake, drama at home threatens to derail Orla’s moment to shine. Should she stay safe and protect her family, or take a chance at finally becoming the hero of her own story?
Not That Kind of Hero is an engrossing tale of finding your own path in the world and staying true to yourself. Orla is an engaging and relatable protagonist whom readers will quickly root for. She is very much her own person, not defined by her relationship with Cassian or her past family struggles. While the romance element is important, it doesn’t overshadow the novel’s wider themes of self-discovery and the significance of both blood and found family.
The book is set in the same world as Alexia Casale’s previous young adult novel, Sing if You Can’t Dance, a critical and commercial success. Fans of Casale’s earlier work will enjoy discovering what happens next to familiar characters, though Not That Kind of Hero stands alone as a compelling and self-contained story.
Not That Kind of Hero is a moving, realistic romance that will appeal to fans of Holly Bourne and Judy Blume.
Many thanks to Faber for the review copy.
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