Darkhearts is the story of David and Chance, former bandmates who are thrown back into each other's orbit after the band frontman, Eli dies. After a kiss between the two, David uses that opportunity to rejoin the band, hoping to propel himself into superstardom, but things don't always go as planned.

I had hoped to like this book. Unfortunately, this book was definitely not for me. Not all characters need to be sweet-as-sugar and so likable that it gives you a stomachache. In fact, unlikable characters are really interesting. But as unlikable as David ends up being, the author didn't seem to use that to grow his character until it was almost too late. Don't even get me started on how fatphobic this book is. That's an immediate no from me. Also, Ripley, who could have easily been my favorite character, existed purely to be the straight rep but in the worst possible way. She is so grossly sex-obsessed it's almost unrealistic.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. I didn't really enjoy the narrator's voice, but that's just a personal preference. Moreover this book was just not for me.

Enemies (one-sided?) to friends, #darkhearts by @james_l_sutter is a #pridefriendly 🌈#lovestory . Read by #ramondeocampo . A #rockstar dealing with his best friend/bandmate's #suicide, while also dealing with #fame at 18! Home for the funeral, finds former friend/bandmate full of #jealousy #read to find out more! #NetGalley #MacmillanAudio #myeyespreferaudiobooks🎧 #accessiblebooks

A sweet, swoon-worthy romance full of likable characters. Initially shrouded in tragedy, the reader gets to know David and Chance as long lost friends experiencing a loss. I immediately felt concern for their separate paths. Did one get too popular too young? Did the other take a route squandering all potential? My questions were answered as I went through their turmoils. Scoffs. Tension. All in a (sort of) enemies-to-lovers fashion.

Overall, I found myself laughing at the best friend antics, smiling at the sweet loving gestures, and feeling just as uncomfortable in the arguments as the rest of their world. The narrator of the audiobook present each character in their own way - a little angsty, a little quirky, and a little urgently in first love!

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and author James L Sutter for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a heartfelt YA celebrity romance that explores grief and second chances and sees two former high school friends turned enemies turned lovers finding solace with one another after their mutual friend overdoses on alcohol.

Perfect for fans of books like Kiss & Tell and great on audio narrated by Ramon de Ocampo. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early ALC and Wednesday Books for sending me a gifted hardcover copy! This was written by a new to me author and I'm excited to read what he writes next!

This book is so good. I loved it so much. I still think about it even though i read it weeks ago. The relationship between David and Chance is just so good. its on like waiting for fireworks. or waiting for someone to shout surprise. that anticipation. Its so good!

I loved that this feels like a YA gay romance for teenage boys--its kind of icky, and raw and angsty and it feels real and wonderful to me. As a grown woman, I also enjoyed it. This book has an INCREDIBLE first line. Immedietly my interest is *piqued*. Throughout the book there continues to be GREAT lines of dialogue. The boys are whitty and I loved it!! This is loosely about a boyband made up of needs, friendship drama and developing and changing relationships-- Friends-enemies-more?

Darkhearts is so good. So so good. I loved the banter, the way the boys worked through their stuff, the family's and special events. I was SO frustrated several times throughout the book, bit I will put that down to well written teenage boy drama. It's SUPER angsty, but again-- this is about teenager punk rock kids, so it all checks out.

This story deals with some more serious topics including suicide and coming out, and it is done very well!!! Neither coming out not mental health is the theme of this book, it's just a part of the life we see our characters experience!

**The audiobook was VERY well done!! I really liked the narration--you should know there are songs being sung in this book and sometimes that's annoying on audio, but it's not overwhelming in this case!!

**4 stars for the audiobook**

I wanted to love this book so badly because it was even one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I mean, a book about a boyband with gay/bi rep?? YEP, sign me up!! Especially for pride month. But it ultimately fell very flat for me. The writing was pretty good and it didn't take long to get into the story; after being in a reading slump the past few weeks, I really appreciated that! I needed something that I could just jump into and fly through, and I paired it with the ALC (my preferred way to read because my attention is held better when I can listen to the audiobook as I read). The audiobook was done super well, and the narrator was phenomenal! He differentiated between the characters with different voices so it was fun to listen to and easy to tell which character was talking when. I loved Ridley, David's best friend, so much, and thought she was such a funny character and I wished she had more scenes!! She redeemed a lot of the book for me. I think the overarching issue with this book was that I went into it with different expectations for what the story was and how much of the plot was going to center around the boy band and grief.

We get the inciting incident––David and Chance's friend and bandmate, Eli, passes away––as soon as the book starts, and then Eli is only brought up maybe a few more times throughout the book? And never in-depth. Since he was so close to the protagonist and the love interest, and his death is why they rekindle a friendship/relationship in the first place, it would've made sense for him to be talked about/woven into the story more. I would've liked to see more discussions about grief and dealing with losing a friend like that so young too; I saw some potential for that within the story, but it was just never broached. Additionally, I was expecting more boyband-related things to happen, like a tour or an inside look at the music scene or something. Chance goes off and has a few photoshoots or David tries to reprise his role in the band around the 60-65% mark, but the vast majority of the book was spent doing regular teenage stuff.

My biggest issue though: I love an unlikable main character, but David's entire personality and his actions were so clouded by jealousy and envy. Not to mention the obvious grudge he was still holding against Chance, even after they started dating!! Like why!! And then he had the audacity to try to get back into the band??? While ignoring his boyfriend's obvious attempts at changing subjects and trying to steer him away from the idea?? C'mon, David!! This attitude throughout the story, with very little character growth, is why I'm rating this so low. If I were Chance, I wouldn't have wanted to be with someone who just kept throwing the band and my fame in my face because they were *that* jealous.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ALC in exchange for my review!

This book was really great. There were more than a few times throughout the book where I found David extremely annoying, but it honestly fits into his character arc, so it worked. The story was angsty enough to tug at your heartstrings and make you feel for the characters. Chance was definitely my favorite character from the book. He was a beautiful person and was well-written. Great read for my Pride month TBR. Definitely recommend!

Let me start by saying I will read nearly anything that Ramon de Ocampo narrates. It is a great experience no matter what.

Darkhearts is a little strange. It is a classic boy-band-gone-wrong situation, with friends-to enemies- to lovers and that is usually a hit but in some places this felt rushed, maybe a little shallow (but confronting one's own short comings can be difficult so it is easier to ignore them which our main character does) and the romance felt.....underdeveloped. I struggled to root for them but it was an entertaining story (I finished in about a day) so if you need something fun and easy this one might work for you!

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an advanced audio version in return for an honest review!

David quit the band he started with highschool friends, Chance and Eli. While the band, Darkhearts, sky rocketed to fame, David was living an ordinary life in Seattle. When Eli passes away from alcohol poisoning, Chance returns to his hometown of Seattle for the funeral. David and Chance went from frenemies to lovers. But will David find love with Chance or take a chance at the missed opportunity for fame with Darkhearts?

David, for many LGBTQ individuals, goes through the confusion of feelings for the same sex. This novel is a well written YA coming of age story about first loves. The romantic scenes are more greyed out making this novel appropriate for teens.

This is the kind of novel I wish I could have read as a young teen! 🌈

ALC review!
4⭐️

I love a good gay awakening story. Like the “Wow I really want to kiss him— wait what?? No, he’s my best friend, I don’t like boys” kind of awakening, and Darkhearts was just that!

Quick recap before the review: three best friends, David, Chance and Eli, all start a band when they’re younger, but David ends up leaving the band right before they became popular. Two years later with no contact, David is living his ordinary life when Eli dies of a tragic death. Chance is back in town for the funeral and is now back in David’s life. Through their grieving, they become closer than before and realize that there’s more to them than just their friendship. But will Chance’s fame and David’s fears get in the way?

From the beginning, I was curious as to why David left the band and how it all tied together with this hatred towards Chance. I really enjoyed how fast pace this was because there wasn’t a moment where I struggled to keep reading. With the quick pace and story build up, we quickly understand the connection between David and Chance and how they’re trying to get along without Eli. The way they both support each other, like the gym and woodworking scenes, was so heartwarming. It showed how different, but so similar they are.

And the tension!! So so good and yes, David, forearms are so hot, it’s not just you.

“You realize, if I die, I’m gonna haunt you forever.”
As if he hasn’t been doing that for years🥹
***
“Feels like it’s always night when we’re together.”
Our romance was decidedly nocturnal 😭

I deeply resonated with David anytime a hard situation came up, especially towards the end. Instead of confronting it head on, he would shut down and walk away. When he’s talking to his dad, it was like I was there in the room with them.
“I’m saying, it’s a lonely kind of safety. Never sticking around to let yourself be heard. Makes it hard to build anything.”

Like, ouch. I feel called out, thanks.

There were moments that I remembered that they were both teenagers and I think if the characters were set at an older age, the storyline would’ve had a bigger impact when it came to the fame. The amount of times they said “dude” was starting to irk me, but that’s teenagers for you.

Overall, I enjoyed this a lot and was a great read for Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an ALC for my honest review. And thank you James L. Sutter for creating such a beautiful story!

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

This was a cute read. I wasn't sure if I was going to like the main character at first but he redeemed himself- although I would have liked more of a growth arc, it felt a little sudden. The romance was well written, and the narrator was really good.

When tragedy strikes, two former best friends and ex-bandmates reconnect and fall in love in this YA read from James L. Sutter.

David didn’t expect to see Chance and Eli again. They took the band he helped create and became famous without him. They traveled the globe. They became teen heartthrobs. And David? He stayed back in high school, working construction with his dad in the summer and forging a friendship with a new best friend.

Then the unthinkable happens. Eli passes away, and David finds himself in Chance’s orbit again for the summer. As he begrudgingly begins to rebuild a friendship with Chance, he finds himself feeling something more—something he’s never felt for a guy before.

I enjoyed David and Chance’s story. It’s an honest portrayal of David’s feelings in the midst of major change and upheaval in his life. He’s taking the SATs, trying to figure out his next steps after high school, and lamenting the loss of a dream. He is experiencing grief at the loss of one friend and now has unexpected feelings for another. With these discoveries about himself, he tries to reframe his perspective and to figure out how everything fits, but due to Chance’s fame, he’s left to process many of these feelings in secret. How should he define himself now? He’s not part of the famous Darkhearts, but could he be again? He’s not just attracted to girls, but what label should he use?

Sutter captures the giddiness of young love and the mix of emotions that comes along with its related firsts but doesn’t shy away from the accompanying confusion, hurt, jealousy, and miscommunication.

I listened to the audiobook version. Narrator Ramon de Ocampo’s voice perfectly portrays David’s youthfulness, his moments of hesitation and excitement, and his frustration and elation. I listened to this one mainly at 1.5x speed.

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Macmillan Audio and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed the narrator for this work! I felt completely immersed in the story at all times, and really enjoyed the acting.

The book itself was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I really liked the tension between the band Darkhearts and the main character, as well as the grief elements at the beginning. However, I detected many grammar mistakes which sucked my interest away from the book. I also wasn't a huge fan of the ending, and would've liked to see the grief aspects expanded upon a bit more, as well as some more character depth as the ending rolled around. Overall, 3.5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC of the audio book for Darkhearts.

So our main character David quits Darkhearts before his two best friends went on to become successful musicians. After Eli dies, Chance comes back to their hometown looking to reconnect with David again. David still holds much resentment towards Chance and the type of person he has become. They do start to hang out more and more and David starts to have romantic feelings for Chance which has never happened before with another boy before.

Ramon de Ocampo was a great narrator as always. He really makes the book comes alive with his voice and as I was listening it wasn't hard to tell who was speaking. Ramon is just so easy to listen to that I couldn't tell how long I was listening for until I stopped. He is always a good choice for a audiobook narrator.

I get that David is suppose to be an unlikable character, playing the victim, being selfish and jealous but he really stays an unlikable character for me. He doesn't seem to grow through out the book or have a big revelation that he should change to become a better person. To me it feels like when he decided to stop being a shitty person came out of left field. It didn't feel natural. By the end of the book I felt like David should have worked more on himself and maybe not be in a relationship at the moment for that reason.

The laid back attitude of the story works with the material we have. The conversations felt natural and what teenagers would talk about with each other. I really identified with Ridley because like her I am huge film buff and can go off on tangents that nobody knows what i am talking about. The ending does feel rushed could have developed or fleshed out more.

This is definitely a book for teenagers and trying to figure out who you are as a person as well as sexuality. If that is your cup of tea this book is for you. I give this a 3 out of 5 stars.

Thank you so much to MacMillan Audio for an advance copy of the audio!

If you know me, you know I am a sucker for anything boy band related so I was elated when I received a widget for this book.

This book took a spin on the "two band mates falling for each other" trope as what was different is that David had quit the band prior to them taking off and then tragedy brought Chance back into his life.

"Well," she breathed. "I'm pregnant now, how 'about you?"

I often forgot that I was reading about teenagers as I felt that they were dealing with very much grown up experiences. As much as I love the celeb culture, I will always protest that I could and would never want to be a celebrity. The constant lens on you, the lack of privacy and then add growing up and not able to make mistakes? No thank you. We saw this each time David & Chance would try to go out and be teens and would be swarm. Even though an average reader may think the paparazzi chase seemed far fetched, I do not believe so. I can't even imagine what stars like Justin Bieber went through as a teen heartthrob. It is amazing what the media and fans do to celebrities. OH and then let's add being a closeted gay teen in there.

"I'm always pretending, Holc. Except maybe with you."

I liked how this relationship was a gradual build and how David & Chance really had no clue what they were doing or feeling but knew they had a pull towards one another. Selfishly I would have love Chance's POV to see what was going on in his brain. I like how the book dealt with David's resentment and jealousy of what could've been for him. Though I am sure the idea of therapy would probably be the best route to take especially with the loss of his friend & now this new public relationship. I really liked Chance's character and how open he was to the perils of fame as a teen and how he knows that he is perceived a certain way. Fame has a way of making one more mature than the average person and I think that definitely was the case for Chance. He was able to articulate and tell David his feelings and his struggles. And then in return encouraged David to do the same.

I also paired this with the audio which I thought Ramon de Ocampo delivered wonderfully! He brought the vulnerability and the angst to each character. The pacing was good & the tone of the narration was good.

I wish Darkhearts were a real band because I know I would definitely be listening to them and likely fangirling over them as a teen errrr or as an adult.

4.5

Pace: 3/5 ★
Characters: 3/5 ★
Genre: 5/5★
Plot: 3/5★
Readability: 5/5★
Content Warnings: minor character death, sexual situations, discussion of body image
Narrator: The narrator has a good voice, but it’s not necessarily youthful, and the main character—whose POV we read from—is seventeen.

David was once best friends with Chance and Eli. Now, years after a falling out, he reconnects with Chance at Eli’s funeral. This is where this enemies-to-lovers slow burn begins. David and Chance have conflicting personalities and character flaws that make them an intriguing pair to follow. David is embittered by some of the events of his life, and Chance is arrogant about his own lot in life. Neither are unlikable, but older readers may do well to remember that these are seventeen year old boys—and who wasn’t a little narcissistic at seventeen?

What follows this reconnection is a lot of emotions, some self-exploration, a touch of teenage debauchery, and a raw look into operating in life as a queer teenager. Being a teen can be hard enough without struggling with your sexual orientation—something a lot of adults are uncomfortable talking about before you’re a “legal adult,” even though there’s no magic switch in your brain that becomes “mature” when the clock strikes midnight on your 18th birthday.

This acts as a segue into my favorite moment in the book. Slight spoilers for chapter 22—skip to the next paragraph if you want to avoid them. David is alone with his thoughts after a date, and he has an internal debate/monologue about the concept of virginity and how that works when you aren’t straight. I found this to be a really valuable contribution to the book, because–assuming the target YA audience is reached—the main readers of this book are going to be teenagers, and many of them may be queer. Even if they aren’t queer, virginity is a really heavy topic, and not one a lot of adults want to or feel comfortable to talk about with teens. I think this is a thoughtful and responsible move by the author, who is openly bisexual himself. So many of us could have once related to a book character who explored both the concept of virginity and the added complexity of virginity for queer youth. I’m glad that teenagers get this opportunity with this book.

So, how does it all add up?
The pace of this book is fair, with the slow burn being pretty on-point. The stakes of the story aren’t entirely apparent until over halfway through, though, so a lot of this is pure will they/won’t they back and forth. The characters are not unlikable, but they are still teenagers who are, as mentioned above, a little self-involved. The character growth itself isn’t a major plot point until the very end, but it does go off with a bang. The genre is spot on—however I did find myself asking “do kids really talk like this?” a few times. My feelings on the plot go back to my feelings on the pace—the stakes. While there are always implied stakes in a book about LGBTQ+ characters, the true stakes just aren’t evident until halfway through, so I didn’t know what story I was really reading until I was in the last half of the book. Most importantly, the readability was exactly what I want when I want to dip back into YA. This was so easy to get through, despite some of my previously mentioned hangups. I listened to the entire thing over two days, including breaks for making notes for this review.

I recommend this if you want an easy and diverse read for Pride Month.

I’m not the primary audience for this book, but I have enjoyed quite a few YA books, including some that deal with sensitive topics like this one does. Unfortunately, Darkhearts didn’t really grab me at all. I never felt a connection with either main character, David or Chance. We follow the two of them after the sudden death of their mutual friend, Eli. I think if more of the book had been spent on Eli and his issues, and their grief over his death, it would’ve been a stronger story. But the story quickly moves on and barely refers back to Eli for much of the book.

Chance and Eli were Darkhearts, a famous teen music duo; David was part of the band when they were younger, but before they got their big break, David left the band and has resented their success ever since. He is still in high school in Seattle and he’s learning woodworking/carpentry and loves it but he’s still holding a grudge against Chance. The two of them wind up reconnecting and more - there’s a lot of angst about whether they should kiss or not, whether Chance will let their relationship become public, and so forth. I just didn’t buy it. I could not figure out what Chance saw in David. David’s big transformation happened so suddenly that it was not believable.

The publisher’s blurb compares it to Red White and Royal Blue - nope, except for the basic premise of enemies-to-lovers maybe. And David and Chance weren’t even enemies, just former friends. Also the publisher called it “hilarious.” Nope, not hilarious in the least.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

This book was pretty good and did have me laughing at points. The characters are relatable in their flaws, but I was left feeling no true connection to either one of them. I did enjoy their story and felt immense relief when things were revealed at the end because I was afraid they would be left a secret. Overall, it's a good read that I'm sure many YA readers will enjoy.

4.5 stars for young love!!! David and Chance have a history. Darkhearts is the band they started with their friend Eli, back in elementary school. 2 years ago, David walked out on the band, and in no time at all, Chance and Eli were signed by a major label, and their careers exploded, all while David sat at home and stewed over his choices. After an extreme tragedy, Chance comes back to town, and reconnects with David. From there, everything changes.
I loved this story. The characters felt diverse and well fleshed out, and the relationships between felt meaningful and engaging. Chance was the cutest boy ever, while sweet David was about as deep as a puddle. David’s personal growth was fantastic, and to me, was the main focus of the story. I absolutely loved that aspect of it. Yes there was connection between characters, developing and evolving relationships, but David himself was the man of the hour. I didn’t love all the choices he made throughout the book, but in the end, he made a lot of progress, and became a character I could be proud of.