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Darkhearts
This program features original music written and performed by the author.
Perfect for fans of Alice Oseman and Red, White, & Royal Blue, Darkhearts is a hilarious, heartfelt, enemies-to-lovers romance about love, celebrity, and what happens when the two collide.
When David quit his band, he missed his shot at fame, trapped in an ordinary high school life while his ex–best friend, Chance, became the hottest teen pop star in America.
Then tragedy throws David and Chance back into contact. As old wounds break open, the boys find themselves trading frenemy status for a confusing, secret romance—one that could be David’s ticket back into the band and the spotlight.
As the mixture of business and pleasure becomes a powder keg, David will have to choose: Is this his second chance at glory? Or his second chance at Chance?
A Macmillan Audio production from Wednesday Books.
Perfect for fans of Alice Oseman and Red, White, & Royal Blue, Darkhearts is a hilarious, heartfelt, enemies-to-lovers romance about love, celebrity, and what happens when the two collide.
When David quit his band, he missed his shot at fame, trapped in an ordinary high school life while his ex–best friend, Chance, became the hottest teen pop star in America.
Then tragedy throws David and Chance back into contact. As old wounds break open, the boys find themselves trading frenemy status for a confusing, secret romance—one that could be David’s ticket back into the band and the spotlight.
As the mixture of business and pleasure becomes a powder keg, David will have to choose: Is this his second chance at glory? Or his second chance at Chance?
A Macmillan Audio production from Wednesday Books.
Audiobook
First published June 6, 2023
87 people are currently reading
10502 people want to read
About the author
James L. Sutter
116 books208 followersJames L. Sutter is a co-creator of the best-selling Pathfinder and Starfinder roleplaying games. He’s the author of the young adult romance novels DARKHEARTS and THE GHOST OF US, as well as the fantasy novels DEATH'S HERETIC and THE REDEMPTION ENGINE. His short stories have appeared in Nightmare, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, the #1 Amazon best-seller Machine of Death, and more. James lives in Seattle, where he's performed with musical acts ranging from metalcore to musical theater.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 594 reviews
January 25, 2023
As strange as it feels to review my own book, I wanted to take this opportunity to talk about why I wrote it.
When I was fifteen, I started a punk band. Unlike Darkhearts, we never got famous, but we played a lot of shows, and even got on the radio. Yet I can still vividly remember being eighteen, looking at the younger musicians coming up behind me, and feeling washed-up—a has-been before I’d even graduated high school. For me, this book is about that feeling: having barely started your life, yet knowing in your gut that you’ve already missed your shot.
At the same time, this book is also about how confusing it can be to realize you’re bisexual—the sudden upending of an unquestioned default. What does it mean to be attracted not to boys in general, but to one particular boy? When I first started kissing guys, I could tell I wasn’t straight—but was I queer enough to claim the label? No matter what category I put myself in, I felt like an impostor.
So ultimately, Darkhearts is about what happens when the labels you use to define yourself—to yourself—no longer fit. What does it mean when you don’t become the rock star you expected? What does it mean when your sexuality isn’t what you’d thought? While Darkhearts is a rom-com, set in my hometown of Seattle and drawing heavily on my own experiences, it’s also a conversation I wish someone had had with me at seventeen, about moving beyond labels and learning to just be comfortable with who you are—queer or straight, rock star or otherwise.
Thanks for coming along on the journey!
When I was fifteen, I started a punk band. Unlike Darkhearts, we never got famous, but we played a lot of shows, and even got on the radio. Yet I can still vividly remember being eighteen, looking at the younger musicians coming up behind me, and feeling washed-up—a has-been before I’d even graduated high school. For me, this book is about that feeling: having barely started your life, yet knowing in your gut that you’ve already missed your shot.
At the same time, this book is also about how confusing it can be to realize you’re bisexual—the sudden upending of an unquestioned default. What does it mean to be attracted not to boys in general, but to one particular boy? When I first started kissing guys, I could tell I wasn’t straight—but was I queer enough to claim the label? No matter what category I put myself in, I felt like an impostor.
So ultimately, Darkhearts is about what happens when the labels you use to define yourself—to yourself—no longer fit. What does it mean when you don’t become the rock star you expected? What does it mean when your sexuality isn’t what you’d thought? While Darkhearts is a rom-com, set in my hometown of Seattle and drawing heavily on my own experiences, it’s also a conversation I wish someone had had with me at seventeen, about moving beyond labels and learning to just be comfortable with who you are—queer or straight, rock star or otherwise.
Thanks for coming along on the journey!
January 11, 2023
Actual rating 4.5 stars.
I’m in love. In love. In love. In love. In love.
A glorious cover. A swoony love story. Darker moments. Hilarious texting. I didn’t know that I needed this book so much!
I’ve said it before, I hate boy bands, but I have a soft spot for books about boy bands like If This Gets Out and Kiss & Tell. And even though I had sort of a bumpy beginning and stumbled over a short HP reference, I fell in love with Darkhearts as well.
The story starts sad with the funeral of Eli, David’s (Holc) former friend and band member of Darkhearts, who died because of alcohol poisoning. But it’s also why David and Chance, the other band member of Darkhearts, reconnect. I immediately felt the chemistry between the boys, who both don’t identify as gay, bi, pan, or whatsoever. They don’t use labels, and I treasured Chance’s explanation of looking at sexuality and identity and wish we all could look at it like that.
Like I said above, the first chapters of the story were a bit bumpy for me. I didn’t like Ripley’s questions about Chance’s sexuality (it reminded me of the Kit Connor sh*t), and Riley and David used the word ‘dude’ a lot. But when David and Chance slowly fell in love, I fell hard too. Even though the story is darker at times, a smile was plastered on my face almost constantly. Because of the way those two boys went from frenemies to lovers. Because of all the banter in their texting. Because of the song they wrote together. I swooned and just didn’t want the story to end, and I’m a little sad that I already finished it. But there’s always the cover to look at. I want to shout out to Sivan Karim for that stunning art! It pictures the two boys so perfectly!
And while reading, somehow Star Walkin’ by Lil Nas X stuck in my head, and a few lines of that song fit the story so well:
On the mission to get high up
I know that I'ma die reachin' for a life that I don't really need at all
Thank you so much, Gwyneth from Macmillan International, for sending me the ARC of this book!
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I’m in love. In love. In love. In love. In love.
A glorious cover. A swoony love story. Darker moments. Hilarious texting. I didn’t know that I needed this book so much!
I’ve said it before, I hate boy bands, but I have a soft spot for books about boy bands like If This Gets Out and Kiss & Tell. And even though I had sort of a bumpy beginning and stumbled over a short HP reference, I fell in love with Darkhearts as well.
The story starts sad with the funeral of Eli, David’s (Holc) former friend and band member of Darkhearts, who died because of alcohol poisoning. But it’s also why David and Chance, the other band member of Darkhearts, reconnect. I immediately felt the chemistry between the boys, who both don’t identify as gay, bi, pan, or whatsoever. They don’t use labels, and I treasured Chance’s explanation of looking at sexuality and identity and wish we all could look at it like that.
Like I said above, the first chapters of the story were a bit bumpy for me. I didn’t like Ripley’s questions about Chance’s sexuality (it reminded me of the Kit Connor sh*t), and Riley and David used the word ‘dude’ a lot. But when David and Chance slowly fell in love, I fell hard too. Even though the story is darker at times, a smile was plastered on my face almost constantly. Because of the way those two boys went from frenemies to lovers. Because of all the banter in their texting. Because of the song they wrote together. I swooned and just didn’t want the story to end, and I’m a little sad that I already finished it. But there’s always the cover to look at. I want to shout out to Sivan Karim for that stunning art! It pictures the two boys so perfectly!
And while reading, somehow Star Walkin’ by Lil Nas X stuck in my head, and a few lines of that song fit the story so well:
On the mission to get high up
I know that I'ma die reachin' for a life that I don't really need at all
Thank you so much, Gwyneth from Macmillan International, for sending me the ARC of this book!
Follow me on Instagram
June 6, 2023
2.5 ⭐️'s : as you can tell, i did not get the boybands, gays or childhood friends to enemies to lovers I wanted 😒
im a sucker for boybands, gays, and old friends turned rivals who now hate each other so much but have so much tension with each other that they become enemies with benefits <3
im a sucker for boybands, gays, and old friends turned rivals who now hate each other so much but have so much tension with each other that they become enemies with benefits <3
February 21, 2023
The way Michael Scott from The Office feels about Toby is similar to how I feel about David, the MC of Darkhearts. That "Why are you the way that you are? I hate so much about the things you choose to be" scene specifically.
The first half was okay and even cute. I could see a lot of potential and I thought David was intentionally meant to be unlikeable so there was lots of room for real growth and character development.
However, he spends the next 42% of the book being The Actual Worst and then has an epiphany and magically decides he is now going to not be a shitty person anymore.
Darhearts is definitely YA and a book about teenage boys. I know I'm reading about teenagers but do they have to talk about poop and describe a penis as having the same feel as the inside of a dog ear?
David is horrible selfish, he's jealous and unkind, and he doesn't realize how shitty a person he is until 92% into the book when he's already hurt his bff Ridley and his former band mate Chance.
If this book had ended with David realizing he really shouldn't be with anyone right now, and that Chance deserves better instead of just "I have decided to not be jealous of you anymore, I am now a good person" then maybe I would've liked it better? As it is, I felt David was trying to convince himself he'd changed more than anything.
I was going to write a longer, more in-depth review but I've already wasted enough time reading this book so this is it.
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
The first half was okay and even cute. I could see a lot of potential and I thought David was intentionally meant to be unlikeable so there was lots of room for real growth and character development.
However, he spends the next 42% of the book being The Actual Worst and then has an epiphany and magically decides he is now going to not be a shitty person anymore.
Darhearts is definitely YA and a book about teenage boys. I know I'm reading about teenagers but do they have to talk about poop and describe a penis as having the same feel as the inside of a dog ear?
David is horrible selfish, he's jealous and unkind, and he doesn't realize how shitty a person he is until 92% into the book when he's already hurt his bff Ridley and his former band mate Chance.
If this book had ended with David realizing he really shouldn't be with anyone right now, and that Chance deserves better instead of just "I have decided to not be jealous of you anymore, I am now a good person" then maybe I would've liked it better? As it is, I felt David was trying to convince himself he'd changed more than anything.
I was going to write a longer, more in-depth review but I've already wasted enough time reading this book so this is it.
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
June 11, 2023
thank you to wednesday books, st. martin’s press, and netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
if i had a nickel for every book of a boyband where the characters had to stay in the closet. that i loved… i’d still only have two nickels. i’m sorry y’all but this wasn’t it for me.
i genuinely don’t even know where to begin with this one, other than david is absolutely the worst character to be following. he’s selfish, jealous, rude, and literally doesn’t apologize for any of his actions from before the book and during the events of this book until the last 5% percent. and that’s after his dad (who i also do not like, and totally see how his son is the way he is. he is also literally so immature about david’s CHOICE to leave the band.) says its because he acts just like his mom who abandoned him??? i’m sorry… WHAT?
every so often we keep hearing him tell us that he’s changed, he’s better, he’s not jealous. and yet??? but oh, sure we’ll believe that his apology after his conversation with his father has actually well and truly changed him. okay. chance is genuinely so nice of a person to keep putting up with this man’s antics. green is a bad look on you, hun.
i really don’t have the energy to say more about this book but i WILL bring up eli. okay, because this is a story where the opening event is a literal funeral. why isn’t there any sort of grieving from david, supposedly his best friend of YEARS. why does he call him an enemy in the opening scene?? make it make sense! david has no empathy for him, for chance, who is somewhat actually openly grieving his loss. i honestly think this could’ve been scrapped. or at least changed. why wasn’t it just an overdose where eli ended up in rehab, halting their career for a period time. that would have had the same starting impact for the events of this story without adding this weird non-starter of grief being brushed over.
oh and one more thing. how was we STILL including harry potter references. in this day and age. in QUEER books. absolutely not okay. just the cherry on top for a not great book. (and that’s not mentioning the fatphobic comments made constantly about david, internally and externally. or how riddley is so weirdly vulgar and sex-obsessed, it’s her only other personality trait besides loving movies… okay. the somewhat ace-phobic comment made about everyone being “a little bit bi”. the slightly graphic sex scenes and comments — no i am not over the dick comparison comment — for a YA BOOK. just… yeah, absolutely not)
in my opinion, there are better options out there if you want a book with a similar vibe to this.
if i had a nickel for every book of a boyband where the characters had to stay in the closet. that i loved… i’d still only have two nickels. i’m sorry y’all but this wasn’t it for me.
i genuinely don’t even know where to begin with this one, other than david is absolutely the worst character to be following. he’s selfish, jealous, rude, and literally doesn’t apologize for any of his actions from before the book and during the events of this book until the last 5% percent. and that’s after his dad (who i also do not like, and totally see how his son is the way he is. he is also literally so immature about david’s CHOICE to leave the band.) says its because he acts just like his mom who abandoned him??? i’m sorry… WHAT?
every so often we keep hearing him tell us that he’s changed, he’s better, he’s not jealous. and yet??? but oh, sure we’ll believe that his apology after his conversation with his father has actually well and truly changed him. okay. chance is genuinely so nice of a person to keep putting up with this man’s antics. green is a bad look on you, hun.
i really don’t have the energy to say more about this book but i WILL bring up eli. okay, because this is a story where the opening event is a literal funeral. why isn’t there any sort of grieving from david, supposedly his best friend of YEARS. why does he call him an enemy in the opening scene?? make it make sense! david has no empathy for him, for chance, who is somewhat actually openly grieving his loss. i honestly think this could’ve been scrapped. or at least changed. why wasn’t it just an overdose where eli ended up in rehab, halting their career for a period time. that would have had the same starting impact for the events of this story without adding this weird non-starter of grief being brushed over.
oh and one more thing. how was we STILL including harry potter references. in this day and age. in QUEER books. absolutely not okay. just the cherry on top for a not great book. (and that’s not mentioning the fatphobic comments made constantly about david, internally and externally. or how riddley is so weirdly vulgar and sex-obsessed, it’s her only other personality trait besides loving movies… okay. the somewhat ace-phobic comment made about everyone being “a little bit bi”. the slightly graphic sex scenes and comments — no i am not over the dick comparison comment — for a YA BOOK. just… yeah, absolutely not)
in my opinion, there are better options out there if you want a book with a similar vibe to this.
December 3, 2023
TW//
Darkhearts is an amazing queer young adult romance. It follows David, a boy who decided to leave his band in high school. His ex-bandmates became extremely famous and successful shortly after David left them. After the death of one of his ex-bandmates, David finds himself spending a lot of time with Chance, another person in the band, who David now holds a grudge against. Feelings brew from there and David must decide what these feelings mean for his life.
I enjoyed Darkhearts. The romance was really well-written. David and Chance had lots of chemistry, and they made for a super cute couple. They also had some really fun dates that were adorable to read about. However, despite how perfect they could seem at times, this book didn’t shy away from the messiness of teen relationships and that made the romance even more realistic.
The deep themes this book adressed were written beautifully. There’s themes of exploring sexuality, teen substance abuse, the price of fame, and the complicated idea of sexuality labels. I particularly felt that the fame topic was covered in a powerful way. A lot of people think fame would be an amazing thing to experience, but Darkhearts covered how much pressure fame puts on people.
The fandom references in this book were a lot of fun. It became somewhat of a game for me to try to identify all the references. Some of my favorites were Harry Potter, The Hobbit, Star Wars, and Stranger Things, but even if those ones aren’t your jam, there’s ton of other references that will surely catch your eye.
The reason I can’t give this book five stars boils down to one terrible character: Ridley. I could write an extensive essay on why I hate her, but I’ll try to summarize my main points here. Right off the bat, you can see how toxic Ridley is in the book. David doesn’t want her to talk about Chance around him, but she doesn’t respect his boundaries and keeps talking about Chance. David is also uncomfortable with Ridley constantly mentioning her horniness in explicit detail, which again Ridley refuses to respect David’s boundaries with that topic. She’s also full of herself and thinks that the world revolves around her. David does a lot for her and she doesn’t truly appreciate all that he does for her because she’s so caught up in her high self-esteem. Then Ridley starts using David to get to Chance. She ditches all notions of caring for David and puts all her energy into getting into Chance’s, a celebrity’s, pants. I truthfully didn’t care that Ridley was hurt by the fight that ultimately occured, but I was annoyed that the story viewed her as the victim who David needed to apologize to. Ridley was a terrible friend and even though friends usually make up in books, I felt this was one book where that shouldn’t have happened. David should’ve cut her off permanently. As much as it’s good to show teens how to work through social problems, it should be equally as important to show teens that they don’t have to stay in toxic friendships.
Despite my issues with Ridley, this book was still really enjoyable and I’m interested in reading more by this author. I think this book works really well as a bridge between young adult and new adult novels. While it’s technically young adult, it ventures into some themes and content that are very much new adult. If you’re interested in a queer rockstar romance or if you’re interested in trying a more mature young adult novel, then Darkhearts is definitely the book for you.
Darkhearts is an amazing queer young adult romance. It follows David, a boy who decided to leave his band in high school. His ex-bandmates became extremely famous and successful shortly after David left them. After the death of one of his ex-bandmates, David finds himself spending a lot of time with Chance, another person in the band, who David now holds a grudge against. Feelings brew from there and David must decide what these feelings mean for his life.
I enjoyed Darkhearts. The romance was really well-written. David and Chance had lots of chemistry, and they made for a super cute couple. They also had some really fun dates that were adorable to read about. However, despite how perfect they could seem at times, this book didn’t shy away from the messiness of teen relationships and that made the romance even more realistic.
The deep themes this book adressed were written beautifully. There’s themes of exploring sexuality, teen substance abuse, the price of fame, and the complicated idea of sexuality labels. I particularly felt that the fame topic was covered in a powerful way. A lot of people think fame would be an amazing thing to experience, but Darkhearts covered how much pressure fame puts on people.
The fandom references in this book were a lot of fun. It became somewhat of a game for me to try to identify all the references. Some of my favorites were Harry Potter, The Hobbit, Star Wars, and Stranger Things, but even if those ones aren’t your jam, there’s ton of other references that will surely catch your eye.
The reason I can’t give this book five stars boils down to one terrible character: Ridley. I could write an extensive essay on why I hate her, but I’ll try to summarize my main points here. Right off the bat, you can see how toxic Ridley is in the book. David doesn’t want her to talk about Chance around him, but she doesn’t respect his boundaries and keeps talking about Chance. David is also uncomfortable with Ridley constantly mentioning her horniness in explicit detail, which again Ridley refuses to respect David’s boundaries with that topic. She’s also full of herself and thinks that the world revolves around her. David does a lot for her and she doesn’t truly appreciate all that he does for her because she’s so caught up in her high self-esteem. Then Ridley starts using David to get to Chance. She ditches all notions of caring for David and puts all her energy into getting into Chance’s, a celebrity’s, pants. I truthfully didn’t care that Ridley was hurt by the fight that ultimately occured, but I was annoyed that the story viewed her as the victim who David needed to apologize to. Ridley was a terrible friend and even though friends usually make up in books, I felt this was one book where that shouldn’t have happened. David should’ve cut her off permanently. As much as it’s good to show teens how to work through social problems, it should be equally as important to show teens that they don’t have to stay in toxic friendships.
Despite my issues with Ridley, this book was still really enjoyable and I’m interested in reading more by this author. I think this book works really well as a bridge between young adult and new adult novels. While it’s technically young adult, it ventures into some themes and content that are very much new adult. If you’re interested in a queer rockstar romance or if you’re interested in trying a more mature young adult novel, then Darkhearts is definitely the book for you.
June 28, 2023
every memory of this book i have will quickly leave my brain soon and im glad for that
June 25, 2023
4.5⭐️. Former band member David has faced ordinary teenage life while his bandmates, Eli and Chance, have become the hottest thing in America. Following the sudden death of Eli, Chance and David are reunited, and as they begin to grown close once again, a kiss between frenemies suddenly has the chance to become more…if they will let it.
This is a feel good, though sometimes heavy, queer YA romance that delves into those turbulent teenage years when self identity and who we are, is at the forefront. David’s struggle to come to terms with his new bisexual identity are compounded by the hopes and aspirations that go along with his potential new fame, and while most young adults don’t have to deal with the effects of fame, they do struggle with societal expectations and who they are at their core, versus who they imagined themselves to be.
I enjoyed the author’s writing style and found it to be very accessible, especially for young teens/early adults. Each of the characters are multi-dimensional and relatable, particularly David. I swooned over his and Chance’s budding romance and felt deep sorrow each time he faced turbulence, whether from Chance or his family. And the music subplot was a really fun and unique addition.
I listened to this one on audio and have to commend Ramon de Ocampo for his excellent narration. He brought the characters to life in a very natural way, while keeping each and every one of them distinct. I devoured the audiobook and enjoyed every minute of it.
Read if you like:
•queer love stories
•rockstar romance
•coming of age
•journeys of self discovery
Thank you {partners} Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio for my gifted copies.
This is a feel good, though sometimes heavy, queer YA romance that delves into those turbulent teenage years when self identity and who we are, is at the forefront. David’s struggle to come to terms with his new bisexual identity are compounded by the hopes and aspirations that go along with his potential new fame, and while most young adults don’t have to deal with the effects of fame, they do struggle with societal expectations and who they are at their core, versus who they imagined themselves to be.
I enjoyed the author’s writing style and found it to be very accessible, especially for young teens/early adults. Each of the characters are multi-dimensional and relatable, particularly David. I swooned over his and Chance’s budding romance and felt deep sorrow each time he faced turbulence, whether from Chance or his family. And the music subplot was a really fun and unique addition.
I listened to this one on audio and have to commend Ramon de Ocampo for his excellent narration. He brought the characters to life in a very natural way, while keeping each and every one of them distinct. I devoured the audiobook and enjoyed every minute of it.
Read if you like:
•queer love stories
•rockstar romance
•coming of age
•journeys of self discovery
Thank you {partners} Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio for my gifted copies.
June 10, 2023
I've seen some pretty mixed reviews for this and I understand why, because it's a pretty messy book. But it worked really well for me. The characters are all flawed and they fuck up, but this was all portrayed in a nuanced way, with a lot of capacity and willingness to grow. They're in a complicated situation, and on top of that they're also teens, and I think it was realistic to see how they handled things.
I have a huge soft spot for books about music and fame, to be honest. Particularly ones that portray fame in a complex, nuanced way and not like something that's either all good or all bad. I don't know why this appeals to me so much but I just find it very intriguing. I think this one had an interesting outside perspective from someone who missed the chance to become famous and reunites with his friend who did.
There's a lot of jealousy and resentment, and it takes the main character a long time to work through that. My one issue would be that it takes him maybe a little too long so that the ending feels a little rushed. But I liked that he was self aware enough to admit his own issues and work on them.
I have a huge soft spot for books about music and fame, to be honest. Particularly ones that portray fame in a complex, nuanced way and not like something that's either all good or all bad. I don't know why this appeals to me so much but I just find it very intriguing. I think this one had an interesting outside perspective from someone who missed the chance to become famous and reunites with his friend who did.
There's a lot of jealousy and resentment, and it takes the main character a long time to work through that. My one issue would be that it takes him maybe a little too long so that the ending feels a little rushed. But I liked that he was self aware enough to admit his own issues and work on them.
June 2, 2023
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.
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.
Read
October 16, 2024pre read
I’m in mood for romance with gays in bands so let’s go 🤭
post read
I’m smiling so hard it was cute 🤭 but so short I wanted more 😭 rating + review tc!
I’m in mood for romance with gays in bands so let’s go 🤭
post read
I’m smiling so hard it was cute 🤭 but so short I wanted more 😭 rating + review tc!
April 28, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a review copy for free via NetGalley, but I am leaving my honest review. Many thanks to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and the author for the opportunity!
3.75 rounded up to 4 stars. This was a really fun YA romance about two ex-band mates/friends who reunite again after a tragic and sudden death of a mutual friend. I really liked the themes that were explored here about family, fame, regrets, second chances, mourning and also moving on! I thoroughly enjoyed Dave's character arc and thought his POV was pretty fun to follow! (I selfishly wish it had Chance's POV too though.) The book starts off right at the funeral, and we're immediately thrust into the awkward reunion which is pretty great, but also kind of poignant too with how they reminisce about Eli and the past.
The dynamic between Dave and Chance was really cute and ofc surprisingly easy between the two, and the gym chapter was SO good that it wanted me to read more books with it. 👀 Honestly, I think James did a great job with the tension between Dave/Chance throughout the book, and while things definitely heated up after the bi-awakening pretty quickly, it still worked with how cute and awkward they would be kind of re-acquainting with each other again. I loved the scenes of them doing woodworking + also playing music together too! The side characters also added some great flavor with humor from Ridley, and Dave's dad adding some conflict/reminders and While he did get a bit too focused on his criticism about the band (believable for a dad though), I really appreciated his talks later (and wish we got a little more with that too).
The main thing I didn't like was the third act conflict as much not because it happened, but because of the lack of communication on Chance's part. It was believable and still overall worked, but that was the only part where I felt Chance could've done more -- It was definitely a vital lesson for Dave, obviously and necessary, but the fact that Chance just made it not as good for me. The epilogue definitely was a GREAT ending though, and it at least touched upon my problems with Chance in that part. It just emphasized why I wish we got a little bit of his POV too because I wanted to hear his motivations/more from him too (especially after the party scene) and would've liked more about Eli too.
Overall, a really fun read and I would definitely pick up another book by James!
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🥉Bronze🥉
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3.75 rounded up to 4 stars. This was a really fun YA romance about two ex-band mates/friends who reunite again after a tragic and sudden death of a mutual friend. I really liked the themes that were explored here about family, fame, regrets, second chances, mourning and also moving on! I thoroughly enjoyed Dave's character arc and thought his POV was pretty fun to follow! (I selfishly wish it had Chance's POV too though.) The book starts off right at the funeral, and we're immediately thrust into the awkward reunion which is pretty great, but also kind of poignant too with how they reminisce about Eli and the past.
The dynamic between Dave and Chance was really cute and ofc surprisingly easy between the two, and the gym chapter was SO good that it wanted me to read more books with it. 👀 Honestly, I think James did a great job with the tension between Dave/Chance throughout the book, and while things definitely heated up after the bi-awakening pretty quickly, it still worked with how cute and awkward they would be kind of re-acquainting with each other again. I loved the scenes of them doing woodworking + also playing music together too! The side characters also added some great flavor with humor from Ridley, and Dave's dad adding some conflict/reminders and While he did get a bit too focused on his criticism about the band (believable for a dad though), I really appreciated his talks later (and wish we got a little more with that too).
The main thing I didn't like was the third act conflict as much not because it happened, but because of the lack of communication on Chance's part. It was believable and still overall worked, but that was the only part where I felt Chance could've done more -- It was definitely a vital lesson for Dave, obviously and necessary, but the fact that Chance just made it not as good for me. The epilogue definitely was a GREAT ending though, and it at least touched upon my problems with Chance in that part. It just emphasized why I wish we got a little bit of his POV too because I wanted to hear his motivations/more from him too (especially after the party scene) and would've liked more about Eli too.
Overall, a really fun read and I would definitely pick up another book by James!
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🥉Bronze🥉
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June 3, 2023
2023 reads: 171/350
disclaimer: i received an arc from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
david hasn’t seen his former best friends and bandmates, chance and eli, since they left him behind to become famous two years ago. but when eli dies, chance is brought back to town, and reconnects with david. can they move past their history together to become friends again—and possibly something more romantic?
i don’t often read books featuring musical artists, but i’m so glad i decided to pick this one up! darkhearts took me on a rollercoaster of emotions. there were times i laughed, swooned, and even cringed. i loved seeing david’s growth throughout the novel and the many different realizations he had about himself. i also thought the relationship was well-developed and didn’t seem too rushed.
i can normally tell what i’ll rate a book when i’m pretty far into it, but my rating changed when i read the ending just because i loved it so much. i highly recommend this book to any YA readers.
disclaimer: i received an arc from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
david hasn’t seen his former best friends and bandmates, chance and eli, since they left him behind to become famous two years ago. but when eli dies, chance is brought back to town, and reconnects with david. can they move past their history together to become friends again—and possibly something more romantic?
i don’t often read books featuring musical artists, but i’m so glad i decided to pick this one up! darkhearts took me on a rollercoaster of emotions. there were times i laughed, swooned, and even cringed. i loved seeing david’s growth throughout the novel and the many different realizations he had about himself. i also thought the relationship was well-developed and didn’t seem too rushed.
i can normally tell what i’ll rate a book when i’m pretty far into it, but my rating changed when i read the ending just because i loved it so much. i highly recommend this book to any YA readers.
April 17, 2023
David quit Darkhearts, the band he created with his two best friends, before they went on to become incredibly famous and successful. After Eli tragically dies, Chance ends up in their hometown looking to spend time with David again. But David is still holding onto a lot of resentment towards Chance and how everything went down with the band. However, through spending time together he starts to find himself developing romantic feelings for Chance. Which is new, since David’s never liked a boy before.
There was a lot that I really enjoyed about this book. It was interesting seeing David and Chance try to pick up their friendship again after so much has changed. I also liked that David is pretty unlikable at times. He’s always viewing himself as the victim and is pretty uncharitable when it comes to special considerations Chance needs to have because of being famous. It all felt very realistic for how a teenager might react in these situations.
For most of the story it just feels like a slice of life about these two boys reconnecting. There’s not really a huge overarching plot outside of their relationship and how that will impact their lives going forward. I didn’t mind the laid back pace of the story, however I do think that the ending felt rushed. I liked how David had to realize how he had been treating people unfairly, apologize, and learn to go about his relationships differently. But it felt like that development just happened way too quickly. Also, some things that were brought up never got fully fleshed out. Like conversations about if celebrities need to come out and if people are just taking advantage of ambiguity.
Overall I did enjoy the book even if it didn’t become a new favorite. If you’re a fan of queer YA and a story about teens reconnecting and the pressures of figuring out your sexuality in the spotlight sounds interesting then I say to give this one a try.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
There was a lot that I really enjoyed about this book. It was interesting seeing David and Chance try to pick up their friendship again after so much has changed. I also liked that David is pretty unlikable at times. He’s always viewing himself as the victim and is pretty uncharitable when it comes to special considerations Chance needs to have because of being famous. It all felt very realistic for how a teenager might react in these situations.
For most of the story it just feels like a slice of life about these two boys reconnecting. There’s not really a huge overarching plot outside of their relationship and how that will impact their lives going forward. I didn’t mind the laid back pace of the story, however I do think that the ending felt rushed. I liked how David had to realize how he had been treating people unfairly, apologize, and learn to go about his relationships differently. But it felt like that development just happened way too quickly. Also, some things that were brought up never got fully fleshed out. Like conversations about if celebrities need to come out and if people are just taking advantage of ambiguity.
Overall I did enjoy the book even if it didn’t become a new favorite. If you’re a fan of queer YA and a story about teens reconnecting and the pressures of figuring out your sexuality in the spotlight sounds interesting then I say to give this one a try.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 8, 2023
I am so glad I’m not a teenager anymore.
T/CW: death of a friend (alcohol poisoning), grief, casual fatphobia, absent parent, Harry Potter reference
If you know me online, you know I love a gay boy band book. I don't know why exactly? But I eat them up like it's 1am and there's a free cupcake. While I would say I prefer If This Gets Out and Kiss & Tell over this one, it's still a solid read and will get you in your feels.
The premise is what really pulled me in: our main character was one of the founding members of the three-person band Darkhearts but walked away right before they got big. Now one of the band members has died and the other is back in town for the funeral.
Romance in the public eye/with someone famous is always so interesting to me. Maybe because I'm a Swiftie and followed Taylor for years as she learned that real happiness in relationships happens with privacy (Toe for life). As I've aged I've found also YA romances don't do it for me the same way anymore, but this one has really stayed with me. The mini-golf date, the long drive, the first kiss, the secret beach—it all comes back to me easily even though I took no notes while reading.
I wish the mental health storyline was kept up beyond the first 1/3. Losing someone so young—and their best friend for years and bandmate—and to such a preventable tragedy (alcohol poisoning was mentioned as the cause very briefly) is traumatic, and the grief was not written as such. It felt more like a kid they had grown up with, maybe were neighbors with, died, not the person they rose to fame and traveled the world with. I don't think therapy played a role at all.
But overall I enjoyed the story. There's a beautiful moment about sexuality and labels:
David lives with just his father and I loved their relationship. He works in construction and we see plenty of that on the job action, but it doesn't slow the story down. David also has some very unlikable qualities that don't necessarily vanish after the third act conflict. While some people might be annoyed by that, I LOVE a flawed character, and David felt more realistic than most YA narrators. There's some rivals-to-lovers romance, a few scenes of secondhand embarrassment where I had to stop reading and take a break before I could stomach coming back, and sex positivity.
I also learned that the author wrote this inspired by his own teenage punk band, so I love the book even more now.
Rep: queer MC, Korean-American queer LI, Mexican sc, butch sc
Thank you to Wednesday Books for the e-ARC in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.
T/CW: death of a friend (alcohol poisoning), grief, casual fatphobia, absent parent, Harry Potter reference
If you know me online, you know I love a gay boy band book. I don't know why exactly? But I eat them up like it's 1am and there's a free cupcake. While I would say I prefer If This Gets Out and Kiss & Tell over this one, it's still a solid read and will get you in your feels.
The premise is what really pulled me in: our main character was one of the founding members of the three-person band Darkhearts but walked away right before they got big. Now one of the band members has died and the other is back in town for the funeral.
Romance in the public eye/with someone famous is always so interesting to me. Maybe because I'm a Swiftie and followed Taylor for years as she learned that real happiness in relationships happens with privacy (Toe for life). As I've aged I've found also YA romances don't do it for me the same way anymore, but this one has really stayed with me. The mini-golf date, the long drive, the first kiss, the secret beach—it all comes back to me easily even though I took no notes while reading.
I wish the mental health storyline was kept up beyond the first 1/3. Losing someone so young—and their best friend for years and bandmate—and to such a preventable tragedy (alcohol poisoning was mentioned as the cause very briefly) is traumatic, and the grief was not written as such. It felt more like a kid they had grown up with, maybe were neighbors with, died, not the person they rose to fame and traveled the world with. I don't think therapy played a role at all.
But overall I enjoyed the story. There's a beautiful moment about sexuality and labels:
"Sexuality is . . .” She looked around for a metaphor, then lifted what was left of her cinnamon roll. “Like this cinnamon roll. You see it, you think, ‘Damn, that looks good,’ so you eat it. If you like it, you do it again. Everything else—whether you’re bi or pan or sapiosexual or whatever the hell—that’s about labels, and politics, and creating shorthands for other people. That can be useful, and important for society, but you don’t have to pick a flag right out the gate. Just let yourself like who you like.”
David lives with just his father and I loved their relationship. He works in construction and we see plenty of that on the job action, but it doesn't slow the story down. David also has some very unlikable qualities that don't necessarily vanish after the third act conflict. While some people might be annoyed by that, I LOVE a flawed character, and David felt more realistic than most YA narrators. There's some rivals-to-lovers romance, a few scenes of secondhand embarrassment where I had to stop reading and take a break before I could stomach coming back, and sex positivity.
I also learned that the author wrote this inspired by his own teenage punk band, so I love the book even more now.
Rep: queer MC, Korean-American queer LI, Mexican sc, butch sc
Thank you to Wednesday Books for the e-ARC in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.
June 15, 2023
This was a heartfelt YA celebrity romance that explores grief, bisexuality 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 or If this gets out 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!
Fav quote:
“Take it from me, dude - don’t get wrapped up in labels yet. Sexuality is…like this cinnamon roll. You see it, you think, ‘Damn, that looks good,’ so you eat it. If you like it, you do it again. Everything else - whether you’re bi or pan or sapiosexual or whatever the hell - that’s about labels, and politics, and creating shorthands for other people. That can be useful, and important for society, but you don’t have to pick a flag right out of the gate. Just let yourself like who you like.” (p. 125-6).
Perfect for fans of books like Kiss & Tell or If this gets out 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!
Fav quote:
“Take it from me, dude - don’t get wrapped up in labels yet. Sexuality is…like this cinnamon roll. You see it, you think, ‘Damn, that looks good,’ so you eat it. If you like it, you do it again. Everything else - whether you’re bi or pan or sapiosexual or whatever the hell - that’s about labels, and politics, and creating shorthands for other people. That can be useful, and important for society, but you don’t have to pick a flag right out of the gate. Just let yourself like who you like.” (p. 125-6).
June 6, 2023
Happy Release Day to my second five star of the year! If you’re looking for a slightly angsty book about messy queer boys falling in love, make sure you pick this one up at your local bookstore/borrow it from your local library.
E-ARC generously provided by Wednesday Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
5 stars. Written with an inky, bleeding heart that thumps like a bass line throughout every line of it, Darkhearts is a gritty and authentic love song of a novel that explores queer teen boyhood in a way that I couldn't help but fall in love with.
E-ARC generously provided by Wednesday Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
5 stars. Written with an inky, bleeding heart that thumps like a bass line throughout every line of it, Darkhearts is a gritty and authentic love song of a novel that explores queer teen boyhood in a way that I couldn't help but fall in love with.
June 9, 2023
Oh boy. This tore my heart out. I felt so bad for these kids. David harbors a lot of resentment toward his former bandmate Chance. As soon as David left Darkhearts, the band he created with his friends Chance and Eli, they hit it big, leaving David to his old life as a high schooler with a normal blue collar job. He got none of what Chance and Eli got - no fame, no recognition. It was nobody’s fault but his own but it still felt terrible and unfair. And his anger about it grew over time.
Eli’s death brings Chance back into his orbit after two years of no communication. David can’t help but compare himself to his “rock god” friend. His insecurities make him feel inferior and he has unfairly held that against Chance. David’s martyr complex comes out to play way too often but eventually he learns to think of others and understand their point of view.
I would like to have seen David make some substantial emotional growth a little sooner than at the 93% mark. Real change is going to take more than an eleventh hour epiphany. It would have been great if the book jumped to a few years later to give David some time to mature and then allow him to reconnect with Chance as a truly changed person. That said, I believed David was sincere in his understanding and acceptance of his and Chance’s different paths in life. I also liked where things with them ended up. David is in a line of work that suits him well, putting his skill and talent to work. Chance, too. I thought the last chapter was really wonderful.
I enjoyed Sutter’s writing a lot. I thought it was an easygoing, very readable style with a great sense of humor. His descriptions made the book come alive. I will definitely be keeping an eye open for more from James Sutter.
🎸🎸🎸🎸 - 4 guitars out of 5
Teen/YA, LGBTQ+, Romance
Single POV, first person
Friends (to enemies) to lovers
Boy band/music industry
Bi awakening
Only one beanbag
Rep: bisexual MC, Asian MC
Thanks to Wednesday books and NetGalley for providing the digital ARC.
Eli’s death brings Chance back into his orbit after two years of no communication. David can’t help but compare himself to his “rock god” friend. His insecurities make him feel inferior and he has unfairly held that against Chance. David’s martyr complex comes out to play way too often but eventually he learns to think of others and understand their point of view.
I would like to have seen David make some substantial emotional growth a little sooner than at the 93% mark. Real change is going to take more than an eleventh hour epiphany. It would have been great if the book jumped to a few years later to give David some time to mature and then allow him to reconnect with Chance as a truly changed person. That said, I believed David was sincere in his understanding and acceptance of his and Chance’s different paths in life. I also liked where things with them ended up. David is in a line of work that suits him well, putting his skill and talent to work. Chance, too. I thought the last chapter was really wonderful.
I enjoyed Sutter’s writing a lot. I thought it was an easygoing, very readable style with a great sense of humor. His descriptions made the book come alive. I will definitely be keeping an eye open for more from James Sutter.
🎸🎸🎸🎸 - 4 guitars out of 5
Teen/YA, LGBTQ+, Romance
Single POV, first person
Friends (to enemies) to lovers
Boy band/music industry
Bi awakening
Only one beanbag
Rep: bisexual MC, Asian MC
Thanks to Wednesday books and NetGalley for providing the digital ARC.
April 23, 2023
thank you st. martins press and netgalley for the arc!
i enjoyed this book so much! i am currently trying to get myself out of a reading slump and it felt so good to read a book i thoroughly enjoyed :) i requested this arc many months ago that by now when picking it up i had basically forgotten anything it was about so i went into it blind and was surprised and happy to see that it was not one but TWO of my fav tropes! childhood best friends (who have a falling out) to lovers, AND a famous musician/boyband romance! i loved all the characters and as a bisexual myself it was nice getting to read david's journey to discovering himself. the romance was cute and fun and i loved the ending so much! another cool thing was how it was set in seattle as i have been there many times, i love when books take place somewhere i know/been because it makes the story feel so much more real! overall i would highly suggest this book for anyone looking for a queer band romance because it perfectly hit the spot <3
i enjoyed this book so much! i am currently trying to get myself out of a reading slump and it felt so good to read a book i thoroughly enjoyed :) i requested this arc many months ago that by now when picking it up i had basically forgotten anything it was about so i went into it blind and was surprised and happy to see that it was not one but TWO of my fav tropes! childhood best friends (who have a falling out) to lovers, AND a famous musician/boyband romance! i loved all the characters and as a bisexual myself it was nice getting to read david's journey to discovering himself. the romance was cute and fun and i loved the ending so much! another cool thing was how it was set in seattle as i have been there many times, i love when books take place somewhere i know/been because it makes the story feel so much more real! overall i would highly suggest this book for anyone looking for a queer band romance because it perfectly hit the spot <3
February 13, 2025
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.
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.
December 17, 2024
I thought this was such a fantastic listen! Ramon de Ocampo is seriously one of my favorite narrators and made this even more enjoyable! I’d love to see what happens next for Chance and David in the DarkHearts universe. There are some tough issues discussed so please read TW’s. 4 STARS!
July 5, 2023
This isn’t going to be for everyone, even taking me a while to get into it properly. It starts at a friends funeral - so not your average YA. Slow-burn on love, loss, fame, and friendship.
Just as I started thinking of DNF’ing, thinking they wouldn’t be good together - I became hooked on the story of David (Holc) and Chance.
𝘿𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 by James L. Sutter (2023) ★★★★☆
David created the emo band, Darkhearts, in junior high with his best friends Chance and Eli, but left the band and fell out with his friends right before they got big. Until Eli’s untimely death due to alcohol poisoning. Chance and David see each other at the funeral for the first time in years. There’s a lot of resentment towards his former friend and the life he thinks was stolen from him.
Chance reaches out to David, perhaps out of loneliness, perhaps just to see his former friend who he doesn’t need to pretend around. They slowly reconnect first, but soon David starts to have feeling towards his former best friend. That start seeing each other, and David sees a chance to rejoin the band.
Second chance at fame or second chance at Chance?
The (emo) band and fame gave a fresh/unique perspective for an otherwise typical bi-awakening, teen angst, frenemies, queer romance. (Shoutouts to Sub-Radio! 😉) A couple references to HP were a bit unnecessary.
Joint read/listened 🎧 with the audiobook, which enhanced my reading experience. The narrator did a great job so I fully appreciated the single POV writing style and emphasis. Honestly, I don’t think I would have liked this story as much without the audiobook.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a chance to early review this story in exchange for an honest review.
Just as I started thinking of DNF’ing, thinking they wouldn’t be good together - I became hooked on the story of David (Holc) and Chance.
𝘿𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 by James L. Sutter (2023) ★★★★☆
David created the emo band, Darkhearts, in junior high with his best friends Chance and Eli, but left the band and fell out with his friends right before they got big. Until Eli’s untimely death due to alcohol poisoning. Chance and David see each other at the funeral for the first time in years. There’s a lot of resentment towards his former friend and the life he thinks was stolen from him.
Chance reaches out to David, perhaps out of loneliness, perhaps just to see his former friend who he doesn’t need to pretend around. They slowly reconnect first, but soon David starts to have feeling towards his former best friend. That start seeing each other, and David sees a chance to rejoin the band.
Second chance at fame or second chance at Chance?
The (emo) band and fame gave a fresh/unique perspective for an otherwise typical bi-awakening, teen angst, frenemies, queer romance. (Shoutouts to Sub-Radio! 😉) A couple references to HP were a bit unnecessary.
Joint read/listened 🎧 with the audiobook, which enhanced my reading experience. The narrator did a great job so I fully appreciated the single POV writing style and emphasis. Honestly, I don’t think I would have liked this story as much without the audiobook.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a chance to early review this story in exchange for an honest review.
June 5, 2023
Darkhearts by James L. Sutter tells a story of love, loss, fame and friendship. David, Eli and Chance started the band, Darkhearts, but when David left them, the band rose to fame and fortune. David and Chance are thrown back together at Eli’s funeral. They reconnect as friends and start dating each other discreetly. There is some spice. David’s world is filled with his father, his job of carpentry, his hobby of woodworking, his best friend Ridley, and school. Chance’s world is filled with his singing, his manager, producers, working out, being “on” all the time, and his fame. David thinks he wants what Chance has. Is the grass greener on the other side? From friends to band mates to frenemies to friends to dating, where will we find David and Chance next? Read Darkhearts by James L. Sutter to find out on June 6, 2023. Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2024
Okeii tää oli iha helkkarin söpööö
July 30, 2023
Friends… to enemies… to frenemies… to more?
I haven’t read a book straight through in years. Let’s face it, I am getting old. Once it hits 11 o’clock or so, I’m pretty out. But once I started James L. Sutter’s debut YA romance Darkhearts, I could not put it down. Not only that, but I kept laughing out loud (there is a reference to the Earl of Lemongrab that I will never forgive this author for) and almost waking up the rest of my family. I stayed up until almost 2 AM reading this book and had absolutely no regrets.
Darkhearts is a YA story that focuses on the developing romance between two former friends turned enemies turned boyfriends. While the romance develops as most teenage love stories do, with plenty of questions and awkward moments, Sutter handles it authentically with plenty of realistic characters. The dialogue in particular is fantastic–teenagers and anyone who spends time with them will recognize their voices and senses of humor.
But the humor isn’t all that is authentic about this book. Sutter masterfully deals with topics of grief, sexuality, jealousy, parents, insecurity, and friendship. He doesn’t shy from how teenagers actually talk, think, and feel, even when things get complicated. There is a fine line between writing with emotion and melodrama, and a great many authors, especially those writing for teens, cross that line. I admit it’s one of my pet peeves about many YA novels. I never felt that way about this book, however. While there is plenty of emotion of all flavors, the characters didn’t seem whiny, and it didn’t feel like the author was trying too hard. Sutter truly tapped into his inner teenager for this one, making it enjoyable and impactful.
The two main characters in Darkhearts are well-developed and three dimensional. While this is a romance and that plotline takes center stage, David, the main character and narrator, has subplots concerning his father, a close friend, SATs, and his developing career, all things teens can relate to. I think this makes the romance plotline stronger, because we can see that while David has his weaknesses and issues, he has a complete life and is a person outside of his relationship with Chance, his love interest.
Because Chance is famous, he and David’s relationship has some atypical complications. But it is the characters’ inner conflicts, rather than these external ones, that build the core of the story, and it’s the journey of overcoming these that moves the story forward. And like most well-written books, the conflicts are woven together in such a way that creates a cohesive whole. This book really works as a complete picture of the characters’ lives and romance, the joys, messes, triumphs, tears, and all.
So what didn’t I like? The fact that the story ended! I really wanted to read more about what happened with David and Chance. While the book had a satisfying ending, I found myself wanting to follow their adventures further. Did David really overcome his flaw? What will happen when Chance tours more? Does David become a world-famous woodworker/carpenter? I guess I’ll just have to hope for the best!
I haven’t read a book straight through in years. Let’s face it, I am getting old. Once it hits 11 o’clock or so, I’m pretty out. But once I started James L. Sutter’s debut YA romance Darkhearts, I could not put it down. Not only that, but I kept laughing out loud (there is a reference to the Earl of Lemongrab that I will never forgive this author for) and almost waking up the rest of my family. I stayed up until almost 2 AM reading this book and had absolutely no regrets.
Darkhearts is a YA story that focuses on the developing romance between two former friends turned enemies turned boyfriends. While the romance develops as most teenage love stories do, with plenty of questions and awkward moments, Sutter handles it authentically with plenty of realistic characters. The dialogue in particular is fantastic–teenagers and anyone who spends time with them will recognize their voices and senses of humor.
But the humor isn’t all that is authentic about this book. Sutter masterfully deals with topics of grief, sexuality, jealousy, parents, insecurity, and friendship. He doesn’t shy from how teenagers actually talk, think, and feel, even when things get complicated. There is a fine line between writing with emotion and melodrama, and a great many authors, especially those writing for teens, cross that line. I admit it’s one of my pet peeves about many YA novels. I never felt that way about this book, however. While there is plenty of emotion of all flavors, the characters didn’t seem whiny, and it didn’t feel like the author was trying too hard. Sutter truly tapped into his inner teenager for this one, making it enjoyable and impactful.
The two main characters in Darkhearts are well-developed and three dimensional. While this is a romance and that plotline takes center stage, David, the main character and narrator, has subplots concerning his father, a close friend, SATs, and his developing career, all things teens can relate to. I think this makes the romance plotline stronger, because we can see that while David has his weaknesses and issues, he has a complete life and is a person outside of his relationship with Chance, his love interest.
Because Chance is famous, he and David’s relationship has some atypical complications. But it is the characters’ inner conflicts, rather than these external ones, that build the core of the story, and it’s the journey of overcoming these that moves the story forward. And like most well-written books, the conflicts are woven together in such a way that creates a cohesive whole. This book really works as a complete picture of the characters’ lives and romance, the joys, messes, triumphs, tears, and all.
So what didn’t I like? The fact that the story ended! I really wanted to read more about what happened with David and Chance. While the book had a satisfying ending, I found myself wanting to follow their adventures further. Did David really overcome his flaw? What will happen when Chance tours more? Does David become a world-famous woodworker/carpenter? I guess I’ll just have to hope for the best!
June 13, 2023
Book #369
5⭐️
Okay first of all can we talk about how pretty this cover is that is what caught my eye to want to read this novel the heart the colors and them together in the heart i love it. This novel was such a great read it had one of my favorite concepts regarding someone being famous etc but when i tell you this book takes you on a rollercoaster this novel touches down on grief and loss and shows how people come together when someone passes away this honestly was one of my first " enemy to lovers " trope because this novel shows how when david left the band he felt some type of way towards chance so as you read you see them talk about the past etc also what i liked about this novel was the relationship was not rushed at all and i like romance novels like that also the main leads were nerdy and not your typical " golden boy " trope that most romances feature. Lots of nerd references in this novel and i wish i had books like this when i was growing up but good thing they are out now so people growing up can read books and feel seen in different ways i love that this book touched down on people finding themselves as well it was really cute to read. Great novel @james_l_sutter people are going to love this one!
When David quit his band, he missed his shot at fame, trapped in an ordinary high school life while his ex–best friend, Chance, became the hottest teen pop star in America.
Then tragedy throws David and Chance back into contact. As old wounds break open, the boys find themselves trading frenemy status for a confusing, secret romance―one that could be David’s ticket back into the band and the spotlight.
As the mixture of business and pleasure becomes a powder keg, David will have to choose: Is this his second chance at glory? Or his second chance at Chance?
5⭐️
Okay first of all can we talk about how pretty this cover is that is what caught my eye to want to read this novel the heart the colors and them together in the heart i love it. This novel was such a great read it had one of my favorite concepts regarding someone being famous etc but when i tell you this book takes you on a rollercoaster this novel touches down on grief and loss and shows how people come together when someone passes away this honestly was one of my first " enemy to lovers " trope because this novel shows how when david left the band he felt some type of way towards chance so as you read you see them talk about the past etc also what i liked about this novel was the relationship was not rushed at all and i like romance novels like that also the main leads were nerdy and not your typical " golden boy " trope that most romances feature. Lots of nerd references in this novel and i wish i had books like this when i was growing up but good thing they are out now so people growing up can read books and feel seen in different ways i love that this book touched down on people finding themselves as well it was really cute to read. Great novel @james_l_sutter people are going to love this one!
When David quit his band, he missed his shot at fame, trapped in an ordinary high school life while his ex–best friend, Chance, became the hottest teen pop star in America.
Then tragedy throws David and Chance back into contact. As old wounds break open, the boys find themselves trading frenemy status for a confusing, secret romance―one that could be David’s ticket back into the band and the spotlight.
As the mixture of business and pleasure becomes a powder keg, David will have to choose: Is this his second chance at glory? Or his second chance at Chance?
December 21, 2023
I received an ARC from the publisher
TW: mentioned depression, death by alcohol poisoning, forced closeting
4
I wasn't sure what I was getting into with this book, but it was a ride! I have a few mixed feeling about this story, but I did absolutely enjoy that ride.
I really like the way this relationship progresses. While it does start quicker than I was expecting, and that gave less build up than I thought there's be, once things start in earnest it has nice pacing. And it helps that the chemistry growing between them is believable, and impossible to look away from.
I also love this concept, and the messiness that history means in this case. It doesn't always work out in ways I 100% liked, but it still has such a real, genuine feeling to it. And with that genuine feeling, I think the ending works so well even while it may wind up feeling controversial.
However, I didn't wind up loving the characters. David is so frustrating it's hard to deal with him- and the infuriating feeling of reading David's thoughts and decisions makes you want to read the story less.
And while I feel like Ridley could have been an interesting, fully realized character, she's so quirky she winds up having basically no real character. Actually, no one really has depth or likability except for Chance.
I got swept up in this book, and I was definitely invested throughout- but I struggled with the characters and staying in a place of suspended disbelief in order to root for this romance.
TW: mentioned depression, death by alcohol poisoning, forced closeting
4
I wasn't sure what I was getting into with this book, but it was a ride! I have a few mixed feeling about this story, but I did absolutely enjoy that ride.
I really like the way this relationship progresses. While it does start quicker than I was expecting, and that gave less build up than I thought there's be, once things start in earnest it has nice pacing. And it helps that the chemistry growing between them is believable, and impossible to look away from.
I also love this concept, and the messiness that history means in this case. It doesn't always work out in ways I 100% liked, but it still has such a real, genuine feeling to it. And with that genuine feeling, I think the ending works so well even while it may wind up feeling controversial.
However, I didn't wind up loving the characters. David is so frustrating it's hard to deal with him- and the infuriating feeling of reading David's thoughts and decisions makes you want to read the story less.
And while I feel like Ridley could have been an interesting, fully realized character, she's so quirky she winds up having basically no real character. Actually, no one really has depth or likability except for Chance.
I got swept up in this book, and I was definitely invested throughout- but I struggled with the characters and staying in a place of suspended disbelief in order to root for this romance.
June 5, 2023
What do you do when one of your ex-band mates(and best friend) dies, and the other hopes to seek solace in the only other person who gets them?
David Holcomb personifies getting bitter AND better when Chance returns to town, after the death of their bestfriend-turned-super star-band mate Eli. Since leaving The Darkhearts before they hit the big time, David has been learning a new trade whilst finishing school - and Chance has been touring the world with Eli by his side.
I couldn’t put this down, from the moment I picked it up. David’s internal monologues matched with the conversational dialogue within the book make for an easily read second-chance showmance!
Friends - to band mates - to rivals - to friends - to, well thats the million dollar question.
YA meets NA in this Achillean coming of age novel, juggling grief and loss of a best friend with fade to black spicy scenes.
No labels are used by the characters within this book to identify their sexualities. A powerful statement this Pride Month; love who you love, no need to define it further than what you’re comfortable with.
Thank you to Pride Book Tours, Andersen Press & James L Sutter for the physical copy of The Darkhearts ❤️
David Holcomb personifies getting bitter AND better when Chance returns to town, after the death of their bestfriend-turned-super star-band mate Eli. Since leaving The Darkhearts before they hit the big time, David has been learning a new trade whilst finishing school - and Chance has been touring the world with Eli by his side.
I couldn’t put this down, from the moment I picked it up. David’s internal monologues matched with the conversational dialogue within the book make for an easily read second-chance showmance!
Friends - to band mates - to rivals - to friends - to, well thats the million dollar question.
YA meets NA in this Achillean coming of age novel, juggling grief and loss of a best friend with fade to black spicy scenes.
No labels are used by the characters within this book to identify their sexualities. A powerful statement this Pride Month; love who you love, no need to define it further than what you’re comfortable with.
Thank you to Pride Book Tours, Andersen Press & James L Sutter for the physical copy of The Darkhearts ❤️
May 25, 2023
This book is marketed as a combination of Heartstopper and Red, White and Royal Blue which are both powerhouses in the queer book market and also happen to be two of my personal favorites. I find this marketing off, it doesn’t quite encapsulate the wholesomeness Heartstopper does and it doesn’t have the heart and pull at your emotions that Red, White and Royal Blue does.
The pacing is odd, it almost goes too fast and it could do with an entire 25% more to include more moments of the two MC’s together and an epilogue that extends beyond its abrupt end. While I will say this is an enjoyable enough story it left me with quite a few questions that never get answered.
While I liked both David and Chance I also felt like I didn’t get to know too much about either of them beyond their hobbies/careers and David’s jealousy and Chance’s seeming fear of confrontation.
I’m giving this one 3 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The pacing is odd, it almost goes too fast and it could do with an entire 25% more to include more moments of the two MC’s together and an epilogue that extends beyond its abrupt end. While I will say this is an enjoyable enough story it left me with quite a few questions that never get answered.
While I liked both David and Chance I also felt like I didn’t get to know too much about either of them beyond their hobbies/careers and David’s jealousy and Chance’s seeming fear of confrontation.
I’m giving this one 3 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 3, 2023
I really enjoyed this ya romance - two 17 old guys learning how to be friends again after years apart. Very well done. I loved all the hard topics - addressed with purpose and showing realistic recovery.
The tragic suicide of a founding member of the band Darkhearts, brings Chance home for an extended stay. He reconnects with David - also a founding member who left the band right before they found success.
David struggles with his anger - and resentment, left behind by his friends while they traveled the world and became famous. Chance reaches out - giving David an opportunity to reconnect. Their friendship grows into something more. With all the realities of teenage insights.
This book covers - addiction, recovery, grief, dealing with abonnement; done realistically and with grace.
The tragic suicide of a founding member of the band Darkhearts, brings Chance home for an extended stay. He reconnects with David - also a founding member who left the band right before they found success.
David struggles with his anger - and resentment, left behind by his friends while they traveled the world and became famous. Chance reaches out - giving David an opportunity to reconnect. Their friendship grows into something more. With all the realities of teenage insights.
This book covers - addiction, recovery, grief, dealing with abonnement; done realistically and with grace.
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