You've Goth My Heart

by L. C. Rosen

A blood-curdlingly spooky and darkly funny romance about how falling in love is scary AF, perfect for fans of Wednesday and Heartstopper.
 
When Gray gets a text from a wrong number, he’s pretty sure it’s a serial killer—or worse, his ex—on the other end of the line. But, the anonymous texter shares his same taste in music and movies, and Gray’s bored while stuck at home all summer, so why not respond? Being anonymous actually helps them open up to each other, and Gray finds himself hopeful that this could be his dream goth crush. All they have to do is meet—on Halloween, the night of Sleepy Hollow’s big house-decorating contest, and the perfect opportunity for Gray to show his mystery texter his true feelings.
 
But between Gray’s closeted ex coming back into the picture, a cute but obnoxious new goth kid vying to win the contest, and a maybe serial killer lurking around and killing local gay teens, Gray’s prospects are looking grim. Come Halloween, he’ll either get his dream guy or die trying…
 
You’ve Goth My Heart is the romantic and hilarious accidental-connection romance you don’t want to miss!

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Queer, LGBT, Mystery, Humor

371 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 9, 2025

Reviews

[Jackie ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Little, Brown for sending me a copy of You've Goth my Heart. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 2.5 ☆

What to expect
➳ Spice: 🌶️🌶️ (sexting)
➳ Wrong number ─> textationship
➳ MM romance
➳ Goth x Goth MMCs
➳ MMC Drag queen 👸

You've Goth my Heart follows Gray after he receives an anonymous text from a wrong number. However, that wrong number shares a lot of his same interests, is the same age, and is also a die-hard goth. So, what started as a mistake might end up becoming something more...

This was entertaining... BUT I don't actually have a lot of nice things to say about it. I had a lot of problems with the story. Some of which are:

The characters:
This book suffers from a massive miscommunication trope. Gray goes from 0 to 100 in 3.5. He takes everything the wrong way, so his interactions with others characters could be so annoying.

The writing:
I was surprised to find that this was a pretty established author because it read like a debut. There were longwinded paragraphs taking up what felt like pages of just setting description. And the actual prose left some to be desired. It just lacked personality. So many of these characters had so much personality, but the actual words on the page were lacking. It felt monotone and uninspiring.

I enjoyed the premise. I love a good anonymous letters/texts romance - it's an absolute favorite of mine. But so many other aspects of the book were bringing it down. So, while it was pretty easy to read and I didn't necessarily dislike it while I read it, I wouldn't really call it a good book. An entertaining book? Probably? An easily-digestible YA romance? Yeah, definitely. But good? Probably not.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC received at YA Midwest.

I loved this story! This book has been on my 2025 anticipated reads list since I first heard about. It definitely lived up to expectations.

I loved the romance, humor, and mystery. The characters were fun and relatable. I highly recommend for Halloween season.

[Raaven💖 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

This was cute. I love a good goth/halloween themed story. Gray was a good MC and I like his relationship with his Moms and friends. A few points in the plot seemed sort of flat, but it didn’t really take away from the full story. Falling in love with a wrong number texter seems straight out of a fanfic and I love the idea. I don’t really see it happen in books as much. I need more of that. I also liked all the goth makeup and fashion talk. It was fun. I love L C Rosen so I’ll read everything he puts out. The cover for this is also so beautiful! It really pulled me in.

[fanboyriot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had such a good time reading this book. The small town atmosphere with all the gothic vibes was amazing. All of the characters and friendships were so well done. I loved Gray’s moms so much, he was really living out the gothic dream working in their shop. This was such a cute way to tell a romance, wrong number gone right. I really liked all the text messages, it was such a cool way to add to the story.

(This is a voluntary and honest review. I received this copy from the author in a giveaway via Bluesky. Thank you to the author for the opportunity.)

Read For
✓ Gothic
✓ Secret Identity
✓ Small Town Vibes
✓ Halloween Competition
✓ Wholesome Friendships

⚠️ Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship (past), Murder

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊

Spice Level: 🌶️ (sexting)
Sad Level: 💧

Plot: 9/10
Pace: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Enjoyability: 10/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Would I Recommend? Yes
Favorite Character: Gray

Favorite Quote: ❝ "Never be afraid to doubt yourself, to be lost, to make mistakes. You can't avoid bad things happening, become so stiff and scared and set in your ways you don't take a chance. Maybe something bad will happen, but maybe the bad will lead to good." She nods at the crypts. "That's history. Don't forget it."❞

POV: First Person
Pages: 384
Format: Paperback
Language: English
Release Date: 09, September 2025
Rep/Extras: Gay MCs, MC has two moms, queer diversity, racial diversity

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Advanced reader's copy review

This book had such a unique opening, entirely text messages between Gray and his mystery wrong number. The texts were so sweet, and a perfect introduction to Gray. I loved it! This book also had the ultimate goth and Halloween vibes. I loved the house decorating contest and how devoted to it Gray was. He had so much passion for it, and I really admired that. I wish I could have seen his shop, and Malcolm’s yard. I also loved all the descriptions of the goth fashion and food aesthetic of Gray and his friends. All of them were so cool, especially Lenore making her own clothes and cooking elaborate treats. Of the three friends, Gray was honestly the one I struggled with the most. He was a very messy character, which made him realistic but did not make him the most likable. He had some development, but the book ended very quickly and happily ever after when I wanted there to be more of a confrontation of sorts, and for Gray to reflect more on how he treated Malcolm. But overall this was a cute rom-com and I recommend it.

Thank you Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for the free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Teacup · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ended up really loving this! Trying to figure out what made it more palatable than romances (especially teen) usually tend to be, and I think it's that the focus wasn't on the gushy romantic feelings but on allowing oneself to make a genuine connection at all, knowing that inherently opens you up to the possibility of pain and heartbreak. It was about letting yourself hope and be vulnerable. That's definitely something I relate to.

Also, the BFF side character's quest for a non-shitty boyfriend and her finding someone who enjoys making clothes just as much as she does was SO cute, A+++.

[Gabbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m in between 2.5/3⭐️
I would have liked this more if the mmc wasn’t so insufferable and rude. And the plot deteriorated real quickly after those first text messages. It was so far fetched, drawn out and repetitive and the characters felt way more juvenile to me and I just wasn’t really a fan.

This is a silly book that at times can be a little fun but the execution wasn’t my favorite. The writing was lacking a lot as well. I’m sad bc the cover is stunning!!

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable YA with solid friendships and young love.

This book left me wanting to visit Sleepy Hollow to check out the shop and become friends with Gray's mom's!

Halloween gets me every single time. My thanks to HBG Canada for my gifted copy.

[rachel x]

cover reveal but no blurb> come on!

[L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Infinite stars. One of my favorite reads of the year. I got this book as an ARC. It felt like a gothic Schitt’s Creek Halloween episode. Obsessed!

[Aisha (seetheworldwithbooks) · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF (again 🥲)

I really didn’t want to DNF this, but I just can’t stand annoying MCs these days. I saw a review saying the main character was rude — and honestly, I couldn’t agree more. Apart from being rude, he’s also just… bland. Flat. No flavor whatsoever.

The only thing I actually enjoyed were the text exchanges between the MC and Malcolm (and maybe Callie and Lenore). I was mildly curious to see the moment Grey realized the guy he’d been texting was Malcolm all along — but by then, I was already too annoyed to care.

At some point I had to ask myself: is this really worth my blood pressure? The answer was no. Definitely not.

[Paige Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute YA Goth Romance. It was fun reading about Gray’s character and I really liked him and getting to know his friends. However, it took far too long for his anonymous texter to reveal himself and it drove me nuts. It was incredibly dragged out and that’s my only complaint. Other than that I still enjoyed it. The characters were like-able and I had fun reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. You’ve Goth My Heart releases September 9th, 2025.

[Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Little Brown Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. Another cute story from L.C. Rosen! Gray had his heart broken by his closeted ex so when a wrong number texts him and they seem to have things in common he’s happy. They spend the Summer getting to know each other more but they like the idea of keeping their names and where they’re from a secret. Soon wrong number learns that he will leaving the city and moving to a small suburban area. Gray promises him that they aren’t all bad and in Gray’s town they even have a Halloween contest for Halloween decor. Wrong number learns they have one in his small town too. They make a date to FaceTime and show each other what they’ve designed. Gray’s friends come back from their summer vacation and are hanging out with him at his parents store where they sell tea, herbs, and spells, among other things. In walks a new guy Gray has never seen, he’s cute and has a great Goth aesthetic, but he says some rude things about the store, and Gray instantly dislikes him. When school starts they learn his name is Malcom. As they get to know him more Gray finds him to be condescending jerk. On top of that his closet ex is still trying to get back with him, and Malcom has entered the Halloween competition so they are competing against each other. Another thing Gray isn’t taking to seriously, but his friends are, is that 4 queer kids have disappeared from the surrounding area. His shining light is his conversations with wrong number. They have a good connection but Gray misses the physical touch. His friends are cautious believing that wrong number could be a killer. Will Gray’s wrong number be his great gothic love story? Will he win the competition or lose to Malcom? And what about the 4 missing boys, are they alive? There are a lot of fun elements to this story! A little bit of mystery, a sweet romance, a rivalry, beautiful aesthetics, and some very funny dark humor! I loved both Gray and Malcom’s Halloween concepts, plus Lenore’s cooking and all their outfits sound amazing! I loved Gray’s relationship with his moms and his relationship with his friends! Also The Graveyard sounds amazing, a goth Burning Man carnival thing with an amazing sounding haunted house! I enjoyed everything about this and highly recommend it!

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

I never got into this M/M romance sadly. While it was meant to be fun and told often through text messages, it felt drawn out, took too long to come to completion, and I was never invested in any of the characters. I felt like I had read them all before, just with a goth trappings to differentiate.

Story: Gray has broken up with his ex, who refuses to come out. But at the same time, he gets a text from a random person and they end up striking up conversations, joking that either might be a serial killer for all they knew. Then a new kid appears at school, also goth, but very challenging to Gray. As things heat up for the Halloween day haunted houses, Grey has big competition in the new kid, an upcoming first meeting with the text messager he is falling for, and frustrations with his besties to deal with.

This is meant to be cute and snarky but honestly too often just felt boring. Gray is neurotic and self doubting, and often self absorbed. The goth aspects felt tacked on and there only so there could be offhand casual jokes about killers and graveyards. The friends were so cliche as to be painful. There are also murders that no one seems to be too concerned about and are more a butt of jokes.

In all, it is harmless. Others may find some humor here in the sarcasm but it all fell really flat for me - like a one-time joke stretched too far. Perhaps if the plot wasn't so obvious and it didn't take so long to resolve I would have found more interest here. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[ChristineReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 out of 5 Stars

Gray receives a text from a wrong number one night, and instead of it just falling away he develops a relationship with his Wrong number texter. Only as they continue to talk, they start to wonder ... will they ever meet in real life? When Wrong number moves to a smaller town that happens to have a halloween competition, both enter the competitions in their hometowns hoping to win. They cheer each other on from afar and set a date to meet over facetime. Only it is much simpler in theory than in practice. When balancing their relationship with the stressors of real life, halloween haunted houses, new people, new schools, our characters have to find a way forward and learn if they want to make all the moving pieces fit.

If you love stories about mistaken identities, great friends, cute relationships, and all the goth culture you could want, I would pick up this book! It was a delight to read. I had a feeling going in that I was going to love this, and I flew through it. It was one of those read in one sitting books you come back to because it just feels cozy and warm. This story had all the components I love in a book and more.

This is the perfect book to pick up if you love a cozy fall romance, or love a little halloween in your summer or winter months. I can't say enough good things about it, it leaves you feeling excited for the future even when the world doesn't always feel bright. I loved the quote "to hope is goth" and this book shined that light. Thank you to the publisher for providing an advanced readers copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

You’ve Goth My Heart by L.C.Rosen is a You’ve Got Mail retelling but make it goth and present day. I was drawn to read this because of the author’s adult Evander Mills series including my favorite, Lavender House. Also I wear all black and love Halloween. In this story, Gray has two moms who own a witchy store in Sleepy Hollow. One day he receives a text from a stranger and it develops from friendship into more. There’s also a Halloween decorating contest in their town where Gray and his friends have won 5 years in a row. He feels like his newest creation should win but he has fierce competition in Malcolm, a new kid that recently moved into town. Gay teenagers have gone missing and now the count is up to 4 so his friends are skeptical about his texter and refer to him as a serial killer. Days are full with high school and working in his parents shop. Gray still has time for some fun in between and lots of texting. I’m sure glad I’m not a gay teenager right now with social media and pressures of sending and trading pics. Also hormones, overthinking and blowing things out of proportion. I think this will be perfect for queer young adult readers, goths and lovers of rom-coms. ARC was provided by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers via NetGalley. I received an advance reading copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sabine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying I had high hopes for this book because it sounded unique, and rarely does the goth scene get portrayed in books, so I was excited. I hate to say I was very disappointed. Throughout the book, I got confused on who was which side character. Not a great start. Additionally, I felt that the MC and LI rarely had chemistry with one another, and often felt more antagonisitic. Not the type of couple I see lasting past highschool if I'm honest. But what made me come to this conclusion was the B Plot of the serial killer. Frankly it didn't need to be there. Being murdered/targeted is a real, tangible fear for queer people. Instead, there ended up being no serial killer, and the joke of it being some polycule fighting was real. Not only does this cheapen the tension of this real threat from before, but it also plays a real fear like a joke too. There didn't even need this plot. If the writer wanted tension, I think simply using and discussing this real fear of hate crimes would've made sense, and is also important for a YA audience to learn. A disappointing read all around.

[Hrtbr8k · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so beyond thankful that I got to be apart of this ARC. Thanks to NetGalley this was made possible.

A teen goth romance with 2 MM characters. There’s graveyard picnics, haunted house competitions, teen angst, a cute little “spell shop”, moon rituals.

Along the way the group all find themselves getting what they “wished for”.

It starts off with a wrong number text and turns into a cute relationship. Jokes about serial killers, vampires and deer.

The relationship building between Gray and Malcom was so fun. I loved that we got to see their texts. I loved their interactions and how we got to see it lead to becoming a couple. Even though they didn’t know each other in person. When they finally meet and realize who the other is has suspense and teen anxiety. The closeted ex nearly puts himself and then blames it on Gray but Malcom stops the blame. I love that Malcom stood up for Gray at then end and didn’t out Steve by doing it.


“To Hope Is Goth”…. favorite quote from the book.
“If my soul is a graveyard, at that moment it explodes into purple light.”

[BookishKB · Rating 4 out of 5]

🖤 Bookish Thoughts
This was such a fun and sweet queer YA romcom. Both MMCs were charming in their own ways, even if they were completely oblivious to the obvious. I loved the texting dynamic, but I was surprised they didn’t figure each other out sooner. It started feeling extra obvious!

I just wish we got more time with them once everything was out in the open. The ending felt a bit rushed, and I wanted to see them actually be together. It felt like we finally got the reveal and then cut to the end. A few late chapters also felt like filler rather than adding anything meaningful to their relationship or the plot.
But I really loved the Halloween vibes and the banter between the characters. Even with a few bumps, the story still made me smile. If you’re into cozy queer romcoms with a little spooky flair, this one’s a fun pick.

💀 What You Can Expect
Goth boys
Queer YA 🖤
Halloween setting
Small town YA charm

🗓️ Pub Date: September 9, 2025
Thank you to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Kayla Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute YA read with a Pride and Prejudice feel, but make it goth.

Gray receives a text from a random wrong number one day. After the awkward "sorry, you have the wrong person", they continue texting. Even though they don't know each other, they find out they have a lot in common.

As Gray builds a deeper connection with his mystery texter, a new kid moves to town. The new kid, Malcolm, makes a bad first impression to Gray and his friends, and Gray immediately writes him off. But Malcolm and Gray's friend group have a lot in common, music taste, style, hobbies, and goth being a way of life, not just a fashion trend, so Gray's friends try to pull him into the fray despite Gray's resistance.

Gray can't seem to let his prejudice of Malcolm and his pride of winning the annual Halloween competition go and it's causing everything around him to fall apart.

As Halloween approaches, mystery texter and Gray decide to meet up. What happens when Gray finds that his mystery person has been right in front of him the whole time?

I loved the vibes of this book. Very Halloween, very witchy, very goth.

I felt like the end wrapped up a little too quickly. I would have loved to see more of their connection and relationship after everything was revealed. I also would have loved to hear more about his movie project. It was something Gray was working on throughout the whole book, but then doesn't get brought up as a finish product. It could have been nice for the gang to watch his finished movie together and reflect.

[Paige Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in one day because I simply couldn’t put it down. Lev Rosen has absolutely done it again.

YOU’VE GOTH MY HEART focuses on Gray, as he and his friends find love and face the limits that come from being goth in a small town. one thing I absolutely loved about this book was that the main characters already felt comfortable in their identities and were able to grow and learn more on that foundation. they already felt secure in who they were, and that kind of safety felt really special, especially because they would generally be considered outsiders. the romance is complex and sweet.

one of the things I love about YA is how it prioritizes hope, even in the midst of everything falling apart. this book is absolutely no different. the way it frames hope (especially in the year 2025) is so relevant and important and beautiful, making space for hope to be reimagined into something that we can all have more of. loved this book.

[Kaisbooknook · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars

I loved this book. First of all, seeing the goth and pagan representation as a person who is both goth and pagan myself made my heart sing. Reading about teenagers who don't care about being ostracized by their peers, and who are confident in their self expression was great to read about.

The romance was adorable, although I wish it wasn't quite such a slow slow burn. Having the real life romance only play out in the last 6% didn't feel as satisfying as I would have liked. I also found the main character Grey to be a little bit judgemental. While he is a teenager and it is normal, it did annoy me to see him judge Malcolm so much, and not communicating.

The setting and energy of the story gives such big Halloween energy, and I think this would be a great read close to Halloween.

Overall, I would recommend this as a lighthearted and emotional ya romance full of tension.

A huge thank you to Little Brown Books for Young Readers, and Netgalley for this ARC

[Maxx · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for The ARC!

I loved the small town gothy vibes~ Perfect for Halloween! Gray is just such a vibe at times while he faces the dilemma of what to do after graduating, and possibly meeting his dream crush from an unknown number whom he continues to text and grown a crush on. He did feel a bit iffy at times though, but I still grey to like him. I do feel like the serial killer aspect of the book could have been elaborated more on, as It kind of felt ignored a bit despite it feeling like it was an important plot point. I feel like if this book was just a tad bit longer, a few plot points and the ending could have been much more fleshed out, making this book even more amazing than it already is. I still liked reading it and all its haloweeny goth vibes, definitely fun!

[Keri Houchin · Rating 4 out of 5]

You’ve Goth My Heart by LC Rosen is a cute and camp YA romance with Halloween vibes. I won a copy in a Goodreads giveaway.

The premise is fun. A wrong-number text turns into a mysterious romance between two boys who don’t know that they are rivals IRL. They’re competing to build the best haunted house for Halloween in Sleepy Hollow. This has all the cartoon witchy vibes and doesn’t take itself too seriously.

At the same time, it does an amazing job of discussing goth philosophy. Hope is goth. Being teens and outcasts in a small town, trying to navigate relationships, and worrying about everything else is an emotional roller coaster. But facing the chaos head-on and hoping that everything will work out is really the message of this story.

This is a book I would’ve adored at 16. Perfect for teens who love Halloweentown, Wednesday/Addams Family, and Heartstopper.

[Chris G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a wrong number text, but junior Gray is intrigued. His life in a suburban New York town with his two Pagan moms and the shop of spells and witchcraft they run is pretty chill, he has some close friends, and it’s not a huge deal to be gay and out, but he’s still smarting from a breakup with closeted Peter who decided he needed to date girls as well as secretly hooking up with Gray. Gray’s feeling a bit lonely, it’s fun as he and the wrong number flirt-text and eventually begin an online romance, though they are still keeping their details private. Will they ever meet? New kid Malcolm has transferred into Gray’s school at the same time that Wrong Number is sharing about starting at a new school - coincidence? And then there’s the mysterious disappearance of local gay teens… Romance with a little mystery. EARC from Edelweiss.

[Shilo Quetchenbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was cute. I loved the beginning, with the wrong number text message exchange, and how that is carried through the book. I do think that Gray spends most of the book being unreasonably bitchy to the new goth kid (and also his friends at times) but maybe that's just because he's a teenager and sometimes teens are moody and bitchy for no apparent reason.

His goth moms are great, and his goth friends are great, and just, everything about the book is so over the top and goth and so much fun.

The things they make for the Halloween contest and their costumes and the food... all of it is really excellent and creative.

It's not vampires, but it gives definite Buffy vibes. And would make an excellent movie. I had so much fun reading it.

*Thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for providing an early copy for review.

[lj · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Emmett last year and I absolutely adored it so when this became available, I knew I immediately wanted to read it. It did not disappoint. L.C. Rosen writes characters in such a humorous and relatable way that make you want to not put the book down. I did not realize it was another Austen adaptation but that made it even more enjoyable and the author was able to make it his very own. Gray was such a fun character to get to know and I enjoyed his friendships and how loyal he was to them. I also loved how protective they were of him. He has a great relationship with his moms - it was very supportive and refreshing to see so much mutual respect. I think this book was delightful, fun, and clever. I cannot wait to read more from this author. Thank you, Netgalley for the ARC!

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives fanfiction in the best kinda way.

There's a little bit of instalove vibe, a little bit of rivals to lovers, some mistaken identity all in a cute little Gothic small town romance.

All the characters were really loveable, and I really enjoyed the friendship group dynamic we see alongside the actual relationship.

As someone who's most read AO3 tag is Wrong Number AU this book was right up my alley, even though it was a tad cheesy at times. It was still a really nice reading experience

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC

[A.G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew it from the moment I requested this book that it would be an electrifying experience.

This is beyond intriguing and a very unique and refreshing story. I find that in the author space, there is a lot of replicated literature, which comes with the nature of art; however, finding something like this? This is a diamond in a coal mine, truly amazing.

This is a highly anticipated release for me and the physical copy will be proudly presented on my bookshelf!

Thank you NetGalley for the pleasure of reading this.

[Pixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay so this was a fun and interesting book. a wrong number leads to a relationship. I admit, as a parent, this book makes me a little concerned. the main characters are high school students, and they don’t even know for sure who they are texting because they’ve chosen to remain anonymous, and yet they still sexted. Aside from that, I love how all the main characters are so unapologetically themselves and their style. The writing is really good. It’s reminiscent of you’ve got mail, only goth high school boys and texts instead of email.