I enjoyed reading The Ballad of Darcy and Russell by Morgan Matson. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

thank you to the publisher for the ARC!

i love morgan matson with all my heart. her books just hit the spot whenever i need a lighthearted pick-me-up, something i can read a little bit mindlessly but that still has a lot of warmth and depth. long story short, the ballad of darcy and russell checked all of those boxes. it has the interesting family dynamics, relatable protagonist, and sweet romance that i love in all of her books.

unfortunately though, the writing in the ballad was just not my favorite. something about the dialogue, especially between darcy and russell, felt forced, which prevented me from really enjoying the romance, a huge focus of the book. as a hopeless romantic myself, i would love to believe in love at first sight, but i think the instalove enforced the awkwardness of their conversations for me; it felt like i never got to see their relationship develop. additionally, the plot felt strangely fast-paced and disjointed and i didn't love that the main character's two friends were voices in her head (obviously not that deep, but prevalent enough for me to mention).

what ultimately saved the book for me was the personal arcs of the characters. as a stressed-out teen looking for purpose myself, watching darcy and russell struggle and figure it out was my favorite part of the story, and definitely what made the book personally worthwhile.

if you're looking for a lighthearted YA with a little depth, i think you'll like this book! unfortunately, instalove just generally does not work for me, but i still found it worthwhile.

3.75 stars. I ended up liking this book a lot more than when I started it! I was worried Darcy, our FMC, would turn out to be a floozy or incredibly ditsy. As someone who prefers strong FMCs, I'm happy to say that wasn't the case. The book takes an unexpected turn about 40% in (all for the better, I think), and what happened after that really set it aside and made it unique from other books in the genre.

We see our main characters struggle through communication conflict, but not in a way that bothered me, as the miscommunication trope often does.
We see books that take place over a very short time period (which I love and think this book did incredibly well).
We see HEA and great resolutions.
And so much more in between!

I'd recommend this to fans of Morgan Matson, and people who have been wanting to give Matson's books another go. I enjoyed this, even though I don't read a lot of YA anymore, and did not find it TOO youthful. It was charming, unique, fun, and did have me reading until the end!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the eARC, and for the opportunity to leave an honest, voluntary review!

I was SO excited to see that Morgan Matson wrote a new book and, though it was long (as her YA contemporary books are) it was a really fun read that combined a "happens in one night" plot with a crazy weekend with a very unconventional family. There's always a bit of magic in her books and this was no exception.

Review Darcy and Russell to come soon but I am linking the author spotlight I did, which looks back on ALL her books.

This book was so so so cute! I love YA romances and this one didn't disappoint!! It's a wild rollercoaster of emotions, and I loved the MCs so much! Fun read!

All Darcy wanted was an adventure, a last hurrah before college. And man, oh man, did she get a great one!

If you like books that take place over a weekend, romances, adventures, In n Out, deserts, dogs, and musicals, read this book immediately. Seriously. It'll make you feel the feels and wax nostalgic for that summer before college, when the world felt wide open and terrifyingly new.

CW: language (including a handful of f words), innuendo, passionate kissing, fade to black

Darcy Milligan is not going to panic. So, what if the bus she was on broke down on the way home from a music festival? So, what if she is stuck in Jesse, Nevada until the morning? So, what if she lost the pouch that had most of her money in it? So, what if her phone is almost dead and her charger is in the lost pouch? Everything will work out, no reason to worry. After all, maybe the cute guy from the bus has a charger she can borrow.

The Ballad of Darcy and Russell by Morgan Matson is a cute story. The writing is a little slow at times, but Darcy and Russell have good chemistry. Matson does a great job of writing characters on the cusp of adulthood, who are getting their first taste of independence. A fun YA novel to read by the pool!

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing for an advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Darcy Milligan has always believed in love at first sight and she’s been patiently waiting for it to find her. She just didn’t expect it to show up in a small town, rundown bus station on the edge of the Nevada desert. When Darcy first lays eyes on Russell, she knows her meet cute has finally arrived. What follows is a glorious afternoon and evening spent exploring the town and getting to know each other. But when the real world intrudes on their romantic interlude, Darcy and Russell must face some hard truths. It turns out that neither of them were exactly honest with the other and Darcy’s faith in her love at first sight dream starts to waiver. Can Darcy and Russell’s perfect day together become something more or will it all turn out to be just a horrible memory?

Morgan Matson is the master of the epic teen adventure. The Ballad of Darcy & Russell is a cute romp that takes place over the course of one unforgettable day. She takes the takes the characters from the brink of disaster to wondrous joy and back again. Darcy and Russell learn some unexpected things about each other and themselves as they discover not everything in life is black or white but varying shades of gray. Both main characters are interesting and likable with well built backstories. They have such cute chemistry and find each other’s foibles charming. The secondary characters are soooo cool. Russell’s family is amazing. I’d read an entire book about their escapades. Matson takes us on a fun, fast paced ride where the destination isn’t important, it’s the journey we take to get there.

Really enjoyed this one! It follows Russell and Darcy who have a meet cute she’s always dreamed up, and an epic start to 24 hours that is interrupted when there is a twist (I’ll admit it got me so good). The whole book spans one day with future bits mixed in. It’s done so well!

Things I enjoyed about this book:
Darcy. I thought her fears were normal. Her want of love and romance. Being enticed by a meet cute and falling in love at first sight. I really liked her so much. I would have been mad too!! For multiple reasons!!
Russell was so cute and sweet. I loved how he was a little corny and a lot fun. I know he lied (and why!!) and I forgave him quicker than Darcy did. lol. I really liked him so much. He was a good guy just wanting to be normal for awhile. Especially when you find out what happened to him!!
I loved the randomness of the day with the broken down us.
It was so romantic and adorable until it wasn’t!
That first kiss was so so epic.
That twist got me so good 🙈😅.
I loved Russell’s family. They were chaotic and loud and mixed up and they made sense.
Wylie’s advice to Darcy. And Darcy’s advice right back.
The puns and fun facts.
I loved the road trip.
Darcy and Russell at her house.
I LOVED the romance in this.
Darcy and Russell at the airport.
The “let’s meet on this date” 🥰
Oh this was just so cute.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I will always be ride or die for Morgan Matson. This was no exception, I absolutely loved everything about this book - the characters the setting, the overall plot and structure. No one does young adult like her.

Much thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC of 'The Balled of Darcy and Russell' in exchange for an honest review.
Now here's a love-at-first-sight book that after a third of the way through, surprised me by swerving into what looked like an entirely different direction. But before long, I was thoroughly entertained and impressed by author Morgan Matson's ambitious way of using this plot turn to amplify the young lovers' deepest issues......and somehow bring things to one of those 'all-the-feels' conclusions a reader hoped for.
And I loved how the book takes its lead girl's dreams of living movie rom-com tropes and turns them inside out and backwards., taking her on much more convoluted, unexpected journey to her HEA than she ever imagined.
Days away from her college freshman year, Darcy's trip home from a Nevada music festival has gone awry due to a broken down bus. She's stuck overnight at a tiny Nevada town's bus terminal with little money and no phone charger. But things take a sudden turn when she strikes up a friendship turned insta-romance with Russell Henrion, who was also returning from the same festival. As they wander through the town, it doesn't take long for rom-com repartee to turn into heart-pumping kisses.
Even as head-over-heels as they are with each other, they're both holding on to some deep family secrets, all of which come crashing into view, which takes their story careening into a whole new set of circumstances.........none of which I'd ever dream of detailing here.
Sometimes humorous, sometimes swoony, but all the time heartfelt, it's impossible not to root for Darcy and Russell as they navigate their romance, their problems and that young adult quest to figure out who they are and what they want.
A familiar journey, sure. But for this reader, anyway, it's a story I never tire of.......especially when it's handled as well as Morgan Matson does here. (And anyone on the verge of their pre-college summer should shove this one to the very top of their 'fun books to read before I'm swamped in textbooks' list. ..

Review will be posted on Forever Young Adult blog on 5/6/24,

Cover Story: Color-Blocking

This is definitely a departure from all of the photo-realistic covers that have graced Matson’s past books (cartoon people strike again!). The bright colors are eye-catching, and the big heart certainly warns you “this is a romance!” Beyond that, I don’t have any strong feelings one way or the other.

The Deal:

I could have warned Darcy that going to a music festival as an introvert would not be A Good Time, but, alas, I didn’t know Darcy until she was already on her return trip, stranded at a Nevada bus stop and depressed that in just over 24 hours she’d be on a plane to college in Connecticut. With her phone dead, Darcy has to do the impossible: talk to a real human. Luckily for her, that human turns out to be similarly stranded and winsome Russell, a fellow LA teen whom she clicks with immediately.

The book follows them over the next twenty-four hours through quite a lot of revelations and emotions, and while it was clearly obvious what was going “on”, I’ll let the book reveal its secrets to you at its own pace (about 30% of the way in, if you’re feeling impatient as you’re reading).

BFF Charm: Eventually

BFF Charm with a sweatband on
I’ve met multiple Matson heroines, and they all tend to remind me of the same person with different details sprinkled in, so it’s no wonder that I both equally liked and found Darcy quite frustrating. Each girl usually has a “fatal flaw” she needs to work on, so there’s always measured character growth, which I appreciate, but there’s also moments I desperately want to shake the character by the shoulders until they finally Get It. Darcy has a self-proclaimed “black and white” sense of morality that makes her quite unyielding. It IS a very real teenage thing to have such a rigid moral code until it’s tempered by real life experiences, but once she learned the importance of “nuance” I think we could totally hang.

It’s another instance where I vibed most with Matson’s male lead, as she tends to write great, well-adjusted and thoughtful book boyfriends! Sa-woon!

Swoonworthy Scale: 6

Russell and Darcy have an instant connection, the kind that only seems to exist in movies, which Darcy is WELL aware of. She’s at once super into it and also on edge, waiting for the other shoe to drop. As a non-fan of insta-love, this shouldn’t be my jam, but Matson made me believe, and everything was juuuust charming enough that even if it felt a bit too good to be true, I was entertained enough to go with it.

Talky Talk: Classic Morgan Matson

Every time I open a Morgan Matson contemporary, I (an Old) begin to think, have I finally aged out of these thoughtful yet still light-hearted coming-of-age romances? They tend to start off feeling very innocent and fresh in a Sarah Dessen-y, early 2000s way that doesn’t quite feel “realistic” for our 2020s hellscape (or the scathing nihilism of Gen Z).

Soapbox time: Sometimes I do question if these YA books, many of which are being written by fellow Millennials—Matson is 42 per the Goog—ARE actually resonating with current 16- to 18-year-olds? Maybe these long-established YA authors ARE out of touch now, in a way they didn’t used to be in the early 2010s. On the flip side, I’m sure when I was a teen I was reading plenty of “older” authors’ perspectives, people who wouldn’t have related to me anymore, and yet I still found value in their opinions and they opened my worldview, so…I guess, ultimately, maybe it doesn’t really matter, and some things are universally cyclical…

All that to say, once I settled into Darcy’s story, I found Matson’s soothing, straightforward contemporary writing a refreshing balm to the dark romantasies and villain origin stories that seem to be “in” right now, and it reminded me of why, sometimes, you need a guaranteed lighter read with a happy ending!

Bonus Factor: Dogs
It wouldn’t be a Matson book without an adorable, loveable hound or two roaming about! One in particular, a Great Dane who is able to open doors and gets offended when you won’t sleep with him, was my favorite. Andy the escape artist would simply stress me out.

Bonus Factor: Celebrities
I’m torn, because #eattherich, but it IS fun to fantasize about what you’d do if you had access to practically unlimited funds and a fancy-ass compound.

Bonus Factor: Blended Families
One of Matson’s strengths is writing chaotic and often complicated familial bonds. As an only child, I related to Darcy’s quieter existence with her single dad and the kind of yearning she felt at seeing such a wildly different (and extroverted) family dynamic.

Bonus Factor: Musical Theater
Russell is a boy after my own musical-loving heart, although I gotta admit he was pulling out titles I haven’t seen or listened to (I’d consider myself a musical enthusiast but I am not a Theater Kid). Russell’s even trying to write his own musical, though he may be lacking some inspiration (…OR IS HE?).

Relationship Status: Let Me Sing Along (From Afar)

I’d be lying if I said I’d brave a music festival to stand at the front row of your concert and watch you play, Book. That just ain’t me. But if you want to wander around a small town holding hands and eating tacos, then I’m your girl.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received my free review copy from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. I received neither money nor peanut butter cups in exchange for this review. The Ballad of Darcy and Russell is available May 7, 2024.

I just couldn’t get into this one. The insta-love was super quick but lacked chemistry, everything was happening so fast, and the whole thing with Darcy having full conversations with friends that weren’t really there (just in her head) was a bit strange. Just wasn’t for me.

*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.

This was lovely.

I will say I wasn't feeling this book too much for the first quarter. It just seemed like a teen "Before Sunrise" and although the couple was cute, I wasn't sure how this premise was going to sustain itself for a whole book.

Thankfully there is a big shift around the 30% mark and then the book became great. More characters were introduced (including two dogs I LOVED) and we delved into deeper layers of this relationship. Thankfully due to a number of contrivances, we watch this couple go on multiple "dates" all in 24 hours.

I thought the author did a great job of capturing the complicated relationships young adults have with their parents right before they leave for college, how fraught the college search can be (it helped that my kid just did her own a year ago. I remember the angst well!) and how tempting it can be to fall for old romance tropes. Everyone wants their "meet cute" to be 100% magic, when there's always some mess in there under the surface.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was like an 80s/late 90s/early 00s teen romcom in a book form. In other words, this was a YA book that YA-ed so hard, and I just loved it. It was the feels from one of those throwback (eek, I cannot believe I just used that word for movies of my youth) that I loved.

Darcy and Russell meet each other at a bus station after a music festival. They're trying to make their way home with no phones, no money, and no idea what they should do next. So, they pair up, and a night of adventure begins. They find a unique connection as they go through the night. I don't want to say too much because so much of the fun of this one is what happens along the way, but y'all, trust me, that it's just delightful.

This was just such an enjoyable read and now has me wanting to go back and watch so many of my favorite romcoms to build on the energy of this book. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this May 2024 release!

I absolutely loved this young adult rom-com! Though it very predictable, I loved the Darcy and Russell’s relationship and how it evolved from a basic meet-cute to an everlasting love. Thanks to @simonandschuster and @morgamat for this wonderful ARC!!

I absolutely adored this one! It was such a cute read and I thought the twist was a lot of fun! The Ballad Of Darcy and Russell is a perfect book to pick up this summer!

I would highly recommend to anyone that’s a fan of Lynn Painters “Better than the Movies”

This was the perfect YA romance. It was sweet with a little angst, awesome supporting characters, and made me smile.

Morgan Matson could do no wrong I love her books endlessly! Darcy and Russell were so fun and I really liked their development! The few hours concept was interesting

An overall sweet story. Darcy and Russell are fun and Matson explores complicated family dynamics well.