PATRICK LENTON In Spite of You. Reviewed by Michael Jongen

Patrick Lenton is known for his sharply observed non-fiction; now his first novel delivers a fresh and funny romcom. 

I have been following Patrick Lenton on social media for many years and I enjoy Nonsense, his Substack featuring queer news and culture. As a journalist he has contributed to numerous publications and was the deputy editor for arts + culture at The Conversation and the editor of Junkee.

His writing often encompasses comedy, absurdity, and queer identity in narratives that are both entertaining and thought-provoking. He has a knack for blending the bizarre with sharp social commentary, often using pop culture references and surreal humour to highlight everyday struggles. I find him very funny and engaging, but how you parse the following quote will probably determine whether you wish to read his novel.

‘We did everything right,’ Jeremy now pointed out. ‘We wrote up a big news piece that falls perfectly in line with our tone and audience, and we did it quickly. It’s not our fault that Doritios chose to advertise with us.’

‘You put a video of someone getting their asshole licked next to the Doritos ad, and their slogan is Nothing tastes better than a treat!’ protested Samantha.

‘Honestly, I think that we should be spinning this as a win for Doritos,’ interrupted Aiden. ‘That’s kind of an iconic line – might even rake in the pink dollar. They could be the official corn chip of Mardi Gras.’

While he has written several books, In Spite of You is Lenton’s first novel. It’s a gay romcom and I was intrigued to see how he would play with the tropes of the genre. 

When Jeremy is invited to the 10-year reunion of his writing program, he realises he will have to face his nemesis, his ex-boyfriend, who is the reunion’s guest of honour. Miles not only cheated on Jeremy while they were in the relationship but wrote a successful roman à clef based on his affairs. Jeremy, broke, single, and working as a pop-culture journalist, decides that he needs a revenge plan. 

‘So, long story short,’ Jeremy said, ‘I have six months, or just under, to fix my life, and that’s why I’m at the gym all the time, and why I’m learning French, and doing all this other stuff … you know … because it’s impressive.’

There was a moment’s silence, then Sam said slowly, ‘So walk me through this … you walk into the reunion …’

‘Yep,’ said Jeremy, having visualised this a lot. ‘And I’m hot and muscular and fit.’

‘Pfft, said Sam. ‘You’re already a very attractive man, but okay. So you walk in with your new gym body, and let’s pretend that’s not incredibly problematic body image stuff.’

‘Yeah, let’s just skip right past that, please,’ said Jeremy, who was well aware of the bad message he was sending to impressionable youth.

In Spite of You is also a redemption story, and a very satisfying one. Jeremy goes through guilt, regret, loss, and wrongdoing, and his journey is often painful and humbling. Lenton is a master of his tropes. 

The story starts with a flawed protagonist and the reunion becomes a catalyst for change. Jeremy begins a journey of growth, which ends in emotional resolution. When he meets Sam, who offers to be his pretend boyfriend, the tropes come thick and fast: opposites attract and friends become lovers. There is a love triangle and the novel has its share of grand gestures, quirky best friends and wedding hijinks. Lenton plays with them all to create a delightful story with a gratifying ending.

And then, Jeremy started laughing.

He couldn’t stop, slapping his leg, guffawing like long-exhaled breath, like a foghorn. How hilarious this was, how insane, how ridiculous – how free he was from the shackles of caring about what these people thought about him, finally, after so many years. Was this the way he’d wanted this night to go? Was this the method he’d have chosen to free himself from his angst and trauma? No – but now he was in it, Jeremy understood this was the only way it should have happened …

Lenton’s voice feels distinctly contemporary, weaving absurdity and queer identity into his narratives. His referencing of internet culture, memes and entertainment trends feels very fresh and relevant. He uses humour to critique societal norms, and the novel is delightfully comic, light as a feather, and dripping with great one-liners. 

In Spite of You is alternately amusing and poignant with its focus on Millennial and Gen Z anxieties. It is a romcom, but it also reflects concerns about identity, careers, and relationships. Ultimately it is a story about emotional growth, self-worth and reinvention, but it is also funny, spiky, and uplifting, packed with self-deprecating humour, chaotic schemes, playful banter, and romantic tension. 

Patrick Lenton In Spite of You Pantera Press 2025 PB 304pp $34.99

Michael Jongen is a librarian and you can find him as @larrydlibrarian on Instagram and Threads.

You can buy In Spite of You from Abbey’s at a 10% discount by quoting the promotion code NEWTOWNREVIEW.

You can also check if it is available from Newtown Library.If you’d like to help keep the Newtown Review of Books a free and independent site for book reviews, please consider making a donation. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Tags: Australian fiction, Australian writers, gay romcoms, genre tropes, Patrick | Lenton, romcoms