I really liked the premise but the resentment portrayed toward Chance Ng over the success he had is over the top and not something our library wants to champion. It didn’t feel like it turned around fast enough.

Age range, this really felt middle/high school (as advertised), which isn’t as much our demographic. It doesn’t break the bounds. Just not a good fit.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

I'm a sucker for a good band-centric book, so I was excited to get this arc. The beginning of the book I really enjoyed. David was funny and I liked his friendship with Ridley. I could understand his frustration with Chance and how everything went down years before. I thought his and Chance's relationship went from tentative, reconciling friends to romance a bit quickly and without much buildup, but I was still eager to see how it progressed.

Unfortunately, that's where things went a bit off the rails for me. It's very clear throughout the book that David still holds a lot of resentment toward Chance, and he thrives off having someone like Chance (ie someone rich, famous, desirable, etc) want him. He himself says multiple times that when Chance does something good or praise worthy like leaving a large tip, it reflects back on him because they're together. The further I got into the book, the more I felt like David was less interested in Chance himself and more interested in how having someone like Chance want him made him feel. The majority of the book is David being resentful and jealous and pushy, and it made it very hard to root for or like their relationship. Now, I get that a big part of David's character development throughout the book was letting that go. The problem is he doesn't have that sudden realization until the last couple of chapters and by that point it was too late to make me really care about their relationship.

I also wished it had delved a little deeper into the impact of Eli's death on Chance. David hadn't been friends with Eli since he left the band so I can understand it not affecting him nearly as much, but Chance and Eli were best friends who had lived in each others pockets for years. Other than a few scenes toward the beginning where Chance is upset, it feels like Eli's death got completely pushed to the side in favor of the romance between David and Chance.

All in all, this wasn't a bad book by any means. It had parts I enjoyed, but I just wasn't invested in Chance and David's relationship.

This story hooked me from the first chapter. I was so enthralled in the book I almost read it in one sitting (it was only two because I had to go to bed). I immediately wanted to know more about the main characters and the side characters and was captivated. Overall this book was great! I want to give it a 5/5 but it ends up landing around a 4.5/5 for me. There was a moment when it felt a little slow in the middle, but overall the story was engaging, intriguing, and I had that need to know what was next. For me this book was a nice balance of touching on serious topics, growth, and humor. I felt it interweaved the serious with everyday experiences that led to a nice balance. I loved getting to know the characters and watching them grow.

Overall, I highly recommend if you like books like YA novels that are heartfelt, captivating, and entertaining.


I was given an e-book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

I truly loved this one. I was not totally sure what to expect, and I always love a boy band centered novel, but I was pleasantly surprised by this one and enjoyed it a whole lot. It felt engaging from the first page and the friends, to enemies, to lovers trope was truly beautifully done.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review DARKHEARTS by James L. Sutter as an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC). I fell in love with this book first because of its cover and then because of the beautiful queer coming of age story. To say this book is brilliant just isn’t enough.

David Holcomb lives a standard teenage Seattle suburb life after leaving his childhood band, Darkhearts - a band that gained fame for his two friends, Chance and Eli. He clings to jealousy, regret, and anger about Darkhearts until his former bandmate, Eli dies, and he’s thrust back into the world of Chance Ng, the famous lead singer.

Chance, a teenage heartthrob and chameleon among all, tries to reconcile with David after Eli’s funeral. David’s pride and insecurity fuel almost get in the way of an unspoken attraction to Chance until an unexpected kiss happens between them. With Chance in the limelight and David desperately wanting to share that with him, the two boys navigate the challenges of young love, honoring their true selves, and feeling accepted for who they are.

Layered throughout the book is the beautiful friendship between Ridley and David. Ridley, a best friend every reader would want in real life, adds humor, quips, and a plethora of movie references serving to evoke nostalgia about teen years long gone. Her intelligence, blunt approach, and classic teenage obsession with the famous people in our lives, creates the right amount of human connection and reality in the story. Sutter’s inclusion late in the book with Ridley’s party serves as an astute nod to the nineties high school party movies capturing the time period and angst readers can feel between the pages.

A novel weaving together humor, teenage uncertainty, and the need to prove oneself, Darkhearts is a thoughtful, well-written, and poignant story. Fans of Red White & Royal Blue and Book Lovers will be placing this between the stacks as a perfect heartfelt comfort read that reminds readers to believe in second-chances and young love again.

Rating: 5/5

Release Date: June 6, 2023

#NetGalley #WednesdayBooks #StMartinsPress #Darkhearts #DarkheartsYA #DavidandChance #JamesLSutter #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booksbooksbooks #bookrecommendations #bookreview #greatreads #queerlit #queeryabooks #queerya
#arcreader #arcreview #bibliophile

Dave and Chance haven’t spoken in years, after Dave quit their band (with their friend Eli) right before they were launched into superstardom. But after Eli’s untimely death, the two reconnect, forcing them face a lot of unresolved feelings and the new ones that come with meeting someone in a different stage of their life.

on the surface, this is a love story between the two boys, and it’s very satisfactory in that sense. but there’s also deeper layers, mostly dealing with identity and expectations, that help elevate this beyond a normal rom com (which is already excels at).

Dave has spent the last two years resenting Chance and Eli for leaving him behind, but never actually stopped and thought about how his own actions played into his suffering. his whole identity has been about what he missed out on instead of everything he’s achieved since then.

Dave is also a plus size MC, and i really enjoyed how it was handled. his body image and inner monologue felt very authentic!!

The two boys have a really interesting dynamic with more complex layers than the average enemies-to-lovers. it’s really interest how one changes himself to feel superior to the other, only to find out that’s not really how connecting with someone works.

and then there’s all the genuine, intimate moments they share. my favorite moments are the quiet ones between them while they peal away the defensive layers put up the last few years.

highly recommended. check it out June 6th!

Who would have ever thought that the story of a teen romance could begin at a funeral. James L. Sutter delivers a story with interesting characters in a setting that many of us have probably fantasized about. Darkhearts is a quick and entertaining read; perfect for readers who enjoy teen angst and romance. David, the main character, has a very realistic development throughout the story about learning to take responsibility for one’s own actions.

Real life references are always interesting in stories, but in Darkhearts it felt as if there was one in every other page, making setting feel way to specific to a 2019-2021 time period. I feel like this could potentially age the book way too fast.

Without a doubt I’ll be recommending this book, and would be interested in a future sequel that explores the characters in a more mature setting.

Darkhearts was a quick but good read. While there were A LOT of similarities to If This Gets Out, what sets this one apart is the characters. Both Chance and Holc were realistic teenagers. Did Holc drive me mad 80% of the book, yes. But he was well written, flaws and all. The book does begin after the death of the two characters’ friend, Eli, but it did not really delve into their grief, which i didn’t love, but also meant the book had a lighter mood than I would have expected. I would recommend this to anyone looking for an emotional, but sweet YA romance.

5/5 stars! I am obsessed with this book. The cover, the story, and the slow-burn romance are all *chef's kiss* perfection! Normally I'm not too fond of when authors claim their story is equitable to huge names in their genre, so when I saw this was for fans of Red, White, & Royal Blue, and Perks of Being a Wallflower, I was hesitant. Having read it, I can affirm that this book is phenomenal and deserves its place along with these other queer fiction stories. The story starts off at a funeral. which pulled me in instantly and it never slowed down from there. It was sweet and smart and witty.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Darkhearts took me by surprise. I only started reading romance this year and had yet to venture into YA, aside from the Heartstopper series by Alice Oseman. There was language and many references used that made it clear this was written for a modern, younger audience. As someone who is chronically online, I didn't have any trouble with it, but I can see how that may push some older readers away. Especially because it is mostly concentrated toward the beginning.

However, I hope that doesn't detract anyone from reading this delightful story of childhood best friends-turned enemies-turned boyfriends. David Holcomb is a protagonist I can see many teen boys relating with. He is flawed, but those flaws don't go unaddressed, which provides him with substantial character growth. His sudden interest in the same sex is relatable and realistic. Chance clearly feels the same way. Once Cupid shot his arrow, they moved quickly, which I appreciated.

I liked how Sutter used the band to highlight David's insecurities, show how different David and Chance were, and add stakes to the budding romance. While they're having fun, Chance constantly has to leave town for some gig, and the looming knowledge that Chance will eventually have to leave for tour adds some fun tension. I felt that Chance was a romantic interest that many will enjoy. He's charismatic and a giver to a fault. On paper he seems like perfect boyfriend material. In real life, too, but he's battling his own insecurities that few can understand due to his unique position in the spotlight.

The two things that I didn't vibe with as much...
1. I thought Ridley, David's best friend, was a bit...much, at times. She had her moments of being a supportive friend (and as a trivia fan, I appreciated her weird animal facts), but there were moments where I just wanted to sit her in time out for a couple minutes.
2. *Slight Spoiler*
While I was rooting for David and Chance to get back together, it wrapped up quickly. A couple days pass for the boys, but we as readers only really get one chapter for David to process everything.

Overall, I really enjoyed Darkhearts. I'll also add that I re-read the last page a couple times. Had my eyes getting a little misty in the best way possible. I could feel the weight lifting off everyone's shoulders.

4.5/5

(Posted to Goodreads) This was such a quick and fun read, I loved the characters, the relationship building between David and Chance, and the theme this story conveyed.

I would definitely recommend this book to anybody who wants a quick enemies to lovers trope (with a lot of tough love throughout) with not a lot of angst but enough to keep you rooting for the characters!! The storytelling is beautiful and the descriptions of the music, and singing, and other hobbies are so lyrical, I love every second.

The only thing keeping this at a 4.5 stars for me is that I wished I had seen some more interaction between Chance and David’s father. Other than that, this is easily a 5 star book for me!

—————

SPOILERS:

As somebody who is in a competitive career field, I found myself relating to David in more ways than one, and so reading some of the things he said and the thoughts he had hit home, and it made me really happy when he grew as a character. I’m also really happy that this book didn’t take the easy route and put David back in the band, because realistically it wouldn’t work that way. I think the resolution made perfect sense and was certainly a happy ending for everybody.

It took me a little while to actually get into this book and get past the many pop culture references that were made in the first three chapters but once i did i was totally hooked. the plot of this book was really unique and i really enjoyed it. if you were a fan of if this gets out by Sophie Gonzales
and Cale Dietrich then you will probably love this one. i enjoyed how the main plot of this book wasn’t about coming out (though they’re were mentions of it).

I adored this book! Darkhearts is a story of love, grief and fame. David left his band and dreams of fame behind to have a normal life. His friends stayed in the band and became huge popstar while David watched from afar. When his former bandmate Eli dies suddenly, David is back in contact with Chance. The two did not ended their friendship on on good terms and have to find a way to tread through their grief to find their way back together. The friends to enemies realize there might be something more to their relationship as sparks fly. I could not have loved this book anymore!!! It's charming, heartfelt and sassy!

Thanks Wednesday Books and NetGalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I really liked this book! Eli, and old friend of David’s, has passed away. David feels awkward and resentful at the funeral because Eli and their other friend Chance have become a famous band, one David was a part of but quit right before they got big. They never tried to reach out to him and they were the best of friends. Eli’s passing brings Chance back into David’s life and, however reluctantly, they start to build a relationship again. Can they let go of their resentments? Could this reconnection finally provide David the spotlight he missed out on? What happens if something more develops between the two of them? James L Sputters story is full of love, loss, resentment, forgiveness, and growth! I enjoyed the connection I felt with David and found myself completely agree with the way he felt about things which created some interesting introspection! I enjoyed Chance and Ridley as well! Plus it’s full of the swoonworthy moments! It’s got love, sadness, and humor all mixed together! I highly recommend adding this to your 2023 reading list! I can’t wait to read it again!

Darkhearts by James L. Sutte was absolutely stunning!!!
It was fun, exciting and an awesome read.
You will not be able to put it down once you start it.
I loved the writing style and how the author had us come along for David and Chance's journey.
All of the characters were amazing and unique.
James L. Sutter did an outstanding job with his characters.
They are vividly brought to life, molding them into lovable, realistic, well rounded people!
Darkhearts is charming, witty and heartfelt. And a story I absolutely couldn't get enough of!
And who doesn't love a good story about boybands!? This one hit me in all in my feels!

I have not read this authors previous work but I hope he continues to write stories such as this.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I didn’t love this! It felt very long without much of a plot, and I found that it dragged on. The relationship between the two main characters was sweet at times, but the contexts and material conditions of their worlds didn’t make a lot of sense. Also, the death of their friend, which served as the catalyst that brought them back together, was more of a plot device. The process of grieving didn’t factor into the book and I wish it had been addressed. The supporting characters (gruff Dad, exploitative manager, butch lesbian who gives sage advice, etc) were more caricatures than characters, and the pop culture references are very specific, so it’ll be interesting to see how they age. Overall, this was something I thought I’d like, and I didn’t, really.

(3.5) Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this book! When I saw "Perfect for fans of Red, White, & Royal Blue and Perks of Being a Wallflower" in the description, I knew I needed to read this book. I will say that I didn't really see a huge resemblance to either of those books, but I enjoyed it all the same. Chance and David (and their friend Eli) were members of a band called Darkhearts when they were young, but after David walked away the band blew up. After years of fame, Eli dies and Chance returns to the Seattle suburb he grew up in. The relationship formed between Chance and David made total sense to me, as they came together through a shared memory and I thought that there was great chemistry between the two boys. Furthermore, the buildup to the conflict and tension toward the end of the novel was very well executed, and we see David go through important self-discovery. Now, the reason that I only rated this book 3.5 stars was because of the general pacing of the novel, David's fallout with Ridley, and some of the dialogue. For a fairly short book, too much time was spent on the first 0-75% of the narrative and way too little on the final conflict and resolution. It was wrapped up in a tidy bow way too quickly. In regard to the fallout, I don't think Ridley had the right to be upset that David kept their relationship a secret, as there were serious implications to the general public finding out too early. Finally, some of the dialogue was incredibly unrealistic and felt kind of try hard. Teenagers don't actually talk like that. Overall, a good read and I would generally recommend.

I love musician books. Give me a book about musicians and I love it. So this was an instant win for me.
I have discovered lately my problem with books is that they end too soon. Sure, I love the romance, the build up; I hate the fight, the break up; I love the reconciliation but then I want to see that the reconciliation is true. Example: David is really jealous of Chance and it gets in the way of their relationship. A lot. At the end, he swears he is no longer jealous. But you don't just turn that off. I don't wake up and go "I'm not anxious" anymore. It's a daily battle and this is something David fought with for the last several years. I just want to see him get over it. I guess that's a different story.

Anyway, yes. Love this book. 4 stars

Darkhearts Review

Darkhearts is a perfect cross between If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich and Sometime After Midnight by L. Phillips.

At its core, this is a story about choices. The choices we make out of emotion that cost us dearly. The choices we make to place blame and alienate once valuable friendships. The choice to take a hard look at ourselves and be honest about our roles in why things fell apart.

It’s also about the choice to take the first step towards forgiveness. It’s about settling old hurts and navigating new ones. It’s about choosing to fight for relationships that we once held tightly.

It’s about the choice to allow your heart to look different that you thought before. It’s about the choice to chase the new pathways that open up to you. It’s about the choice to accept that you can change and grow into a person you hadn’t quite seen coming. It’s about choosing to love the person you love.

It’s about how you choose to allow the world to see you. It’s about the choice to protect certain parts of who you are because the world can be cruel. It’s about choices we make to bow to authority because we feel the weight of their expectations. It’s about the choices we make to break away and shine as our true selves.

In a book about choices, two boys choose to turn away from the hurts of their past and towards hope in their future. It’s a sweet story about discovering queerness, first Achillean loves and how lifelong friendships can bloom into something more.

If you’re looking for a tender romance set against a story about navigating celebrity, grief and what we owe to ourselves and to the world, I highly suggest you read this novel.

—----------------------------------------------------
And now for the fun stuff ;)

My absolute favorite things:
>THE TROPES
-Childhood Best Friends to Enemies to Lovers *drool*
-Sleepover/There’s Only One Bed
-Hurt/Comfort

>BI PANIC
>Latent Bisexual tendencies becoming ACTIVE BISEXUAL CHARACTERISTICS
>Badboy image w/ human marshmallow personality
>FACE TATTOO?!?!
>Platonic friendship between straight/bisexual people of different genders
>Non-binary rep (off page character)
>Realistic depictions of sexual attraction/activity in teen boys
>Public declaration of love *screaming crying throwing up*
>BOYBAND/ROCKSTARS (quickly becoming my new favorite subgenre of book)

Trigger Warnings:
-Grief-loss of a close friend
-Substance abuse leading to an overdose
-Self inflicted death (not clarified if it was intentional or not)
-On page sexual encounter (consensual)
-Discussion of off page sexual encounter
-Homophobia (management/use of a beard)

What a gorgeous novel full of loveable characters and a storyline that I couldn't put down. This one is a must read!