I liked the premise and idea of this book and it started out really strong, but felt a bit emotionally lacking in the second half. I feel like there wasn’t a lot of emotional lead up to the romantic stage of their relationship, and I didn’t like that Chance never really acknowledged or took and responsibility for his part in the breakdown of communication. I also thought them actually going through with the audition was unnecessary since it seemed like David had already come to the conclusion that he didn’t need or want to be a part of the band any longer. But I really enjoyed David’s character, David and Chance’s dynamic together and how much of a role the setting played in the plot.

THE DRAMA!! The main character in this book was so damn messy. He was petty, jealous, and really, really selfish. His inferiority complex was also extreme and caused him so much trouble in his relationships. There were some serious borderline personality vibes with his constant testing of his friends and then blaming them when they didn't chase after him. He was A LOT and quite unlikeable for most of the book. So, if that doesn't sound like a fun POV to read, this probably isn't the book for you.

I kept reading because I really liked Chance, the love interest, and wanted to learn more about him. I'm a sucker for stories about secret celebrity love, especially when it's queer. I enjoyed that aspect of this book a lot. It made sense to me that Chance would gravitate to David because he was someone who knew the real him and not just the fake persona crafted for the masses. I liked seeing them rekindle their old friendship, even though David was a hot mess express. Chance was honestly way too good for him, but David grew on me by the end despite it taking way too long for him to figure out he was being an absolute ass.

The place where this book fell incredibly short for me was its portrayal of grief. The death of the boys' friend is what sets the book in motion and rekindles their friendship. However, any real impact from the death seemed very limited. David didn't really seem to care all that much, which made him seem even more of a selfish ass, and while there were snippets of Chance grieving, it just didn't feel like enough considering how close he was to the boy who died. I just wanted to see more of them both processing their loss and its impacts, especially since the death should have also been a major blow to Chance's career. Honestly, this circles right back to me finding Chance's story much more interesting than David's, and I think I would have liked this book much more if the POV had been switched.

It also didn't help that the rest of the characters were pretty flat. The best friend seemed to only be there to provide sex jokes. The dad was honestly almost as insufferable as David. All of their ridiculousness did make for quite a bit of fun banter, though. I don't think this book will be for everyone, but if you enjoy stories with a huge amount of drama, a selfish and petty main character, and secret celebrity relationships, this is the story for you. Chance did some really heavy lifting to keep this book enjoyable for me, but your mileage may vary. Therefore, I rate this book 3.25 out of 5 stars.

I liked the first half of this book better then the second half. The spice rating is PG13 and the angst is short lived. I feel like the author hurried the ending along and could have done a longer epilogue.

I’m still reading this one but so far I like it. The characters sound realistic and I’m pretty sucked into the story. Will come back and edit regarding the ending but I’m enjoying the pace and the characters. And that cover is so gorgeous…….

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

I am all for LGBTQIA themes within work and this one was done well. I feel the mixture of emotions and the slow-burn of not mixing business with pleasure helped the over all plot. Sometimes things did get a little dry but all in all the book was mellow and a fun little read.

Darkhearts started off by deeply immersing the readers into the story and selling the angst and longing of two boys who were former friends and bandmates. Had the last 25% of the book been different, I think I would have been sold on this story, but unfortunately, the “third act break-up” brought up so much guilt, jealousy and resentment from each character that I truly couldn’t be convinced they should get back together.

Our MC David has a default setting of either pining for or being angry with our other MC Chance and his constant anger and jealousy made him a very dislikeable character IMO. While he received his redemptive arc at the end of the book, his sudden change and understanding felt disingenuous after his constant anger sparks throughout the story. Maybe if he’d gone to see a therapist for a couple months first, I could have believed he would change a bit easier than having one conversation with his dad and one with his best friend telling him he’s acting selfish. (Also, his dad’s character didn’t make sense to me – it felt like he was doing a constant 180 of being supportive or being over-intense.)

I did enjoy the first part of this story and I wish there had been more conversation and discussion between the two main characters as I think this would have helped us better understand and believe why they should still be together at the end of the book.

Thank you to St. Martins’ Press / Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an E-ARC copy of this book.

I will not be giving feedback on a book with not one but two harry potter references but I am, however, thankful for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

This was a surprisingly heart wrenching story lol. I wasn't expecting it to make me quite so emotional, but it really did. I think it was just the relationship in general between David and Chance. They felt like soulmates in the truest sense and when they weren't together in this, it felt like they should be. Their feelings for one another felt authentic and raw and I often felt frustrated yet understanding towards both of them. They're complex characters with beautiful stories to tell and I could see this being a favorite for many!

This book was so enjoyable and well written that I really didnt want it to end!

The way the character's are written gives them really strong depth. David for example is very caught up in his own head and faults. He doesnt realize how deeply his past trauma has changed him and the way he does things and thinks about things, because of that he is blinded to his own faults. This is something that so many people can relate to because its so much easier to see from the outside looking in and often you really need that wakeup call from someone else calling you out to assess what they've said and what's been going on.

Chance is another great character. Through his eyes we see a teen whos struggling to balance life as a famous musician that has to carry this persona with him always. A teen who doesnt get to just be himself because everyone he meets wants something from him or wants to use him to gain something. They dont care about who he is, they only care about what he is. So when he and David are reunited and form this relationship its destined for waves of highs and lows as they navigate how to exist together with these feelings and meet one another in their field.

I think the plot is pretty straightforward and honestly could see it being used for a movie or TV show easy. It was just realistic enough for a contemporary with a small touch of 'what-ifs' sprinkled in.

A very fun read!

Darkhearts by James L. Sutter is a music-filled journey of discovery marketed as Red, White & Royal Blue meets Perks of Being a Wallflower. This story is about two teenagers that formed a band when they were younger with David reaching his breaking point & quitting. Fast forward two years later, their band Darkhearts is now the hottest thing with world tours & more until the other member of the group & friend Eli dies unexpectedly. Now all that is left of Darkhearts is the frontman, Chance, who returns to their hometown & tries to reconnect with David. It’s a story of heartbreak, grief, reuniting, soul searching, angst & maybe even some love along the way.

I appreciated the passion that the characters had for their hobbies & interests. It was a fascinating story with the celebrity aspect as well as the second chance reconnecting of the once former best friends.

There was a quote in this book that said, “Leave room for the unexpected” (55% of the book). I thought that was so beautiful & delivered such a perfect message.

If anyone is looking for a lovely young adult romance with gorgeously interesting journeys of self discovery along the way, this is a wonderful recommend for you!

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Wednesday Books for the free arc, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

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?

This was hard to get through as the concept and idea of the book I’m 100% behind but I ended up HATING both main characters. David is young, he makes bad choices, he whines more than a 12 year old throwing a tantrum. Not for me, it was a struggle to get through but luckily everything felt rushed so it was a fast read. Thank you for the arc, I wish the author slowed down, made some choices (like omitting HP references in a queer book… what?!?).

It really is perfect for readers who loved heartstopper and needed more. Also think fans of If This Gets Out would enjoy it as well as It Goes Like This. A great summer read.

Darkhearts was messy and complicated and sweet and funny- everything you'd expect in a novel dealing with teens. But it also had a heaviness to it at times, as David and Chance come to terms with the death of their best friend and band mate, Eli. After not having any contact for two years, since David walked away from the band, there's a lot for these two to unpack, not just in regards to their friendship, but in their burgeoning romantic relationship as well.

I felt that this was a pretty realistic look into the lives of a young couple navigating a new relationship, especially when one of them is famous. It cannot be easy handling fame and all that entails when you're also trying to have a personal life, particularly as teenagers. I liked that it wasn't easy. There were some hard truths David needed to face and I really liked seeing his growth. He had some moments that were frustrating to read, but they were true to his character, and especially for someone his age.

Overall this was an entertaining and enjoyable read. The ending was really sweet and made the ups and downs all worth it!

GIVE ME QUEER ENEMIES TO LOVERS ALL DAY, EVERYDAY, ANYDAY AND I WILL EAT IT UP! This was superb and I absolutely adored it.

This book was so good. I loved Davey and Chance and the best friends to enemies to lovers was done is such a good way. These characters were complex and the emotions they felt were written in a way that made you feel them. Darkhearts as a band sounds like the type of music I would listen to and kinda wish I could. These characters had so much chemistry and angst that all teenagers had. This is def a book you should check out.

I love that so many queer YA books exist now!

**thank you Wednesday books, St Martin's Press, and Netgalley for providing me a free early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am a celebrity romance enthusiast so you know when I first heard about this book it went straight on my TBR. I love books that blend together with my other passions like music, so Darkhearts was a real treat.

The book opens at a funeral. The most awkward funeral ever. The first time David sees his ex best friends and band mates in two years, one of them is dead. I loved how this set up David and Chance’s dynamic. David had a lot of resentment towards how things had ended between them, but couldn’t really express his feelings because of Eli’s death. David had to deal with these repressed emotions as his relationship with Chance started to change into something more romantic.

I also loved David’s relationship with his best friend, they were pure chaos together. There were times when David’s characterisation made him a little unlikeable. He was motivated by some questionable things, but I actually really liked that aspect. He’s a teenager, who should be allowed to be flawed, and I do think he grew as a person throughout the novel.

This book also deals with some difficult topics like grief. There is no one way to experience grief, and I liked how this book explored the idea that sometimes the people you miss the most are a phone call away. This whole story was about rebuilding from loss and taking control of the trajectory of your own life.

Darkhearts is absolutely perfect for YA readers, and I sincerely hope it falls into the hands of the young readers who need it most. Having a story like this when I was a kid would have been so special.

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.

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

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

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

I only wish for a little bit more of an epilogue (maybe because I LOVED what we got?) And I did sort of miss dual POV for this one--but that did not hinder my reading experience!!

Overall I really loved this one so much more than expected and would ABSOLUTELY reccomend the physical and/or audio book to anyone!

David left his high school band, Darkhearts, and hasn’t spoken to the other members since. When a sudden tragedy brings David and the lead singer, Chance, back together, they slowly begin to rebuild their friendship, which turns into a romance.

But Chance is now one of the most famous musicians in the world, and his manager insists they keep their relationship a secret. Plus, David now wants to rejoin the band. He and Chance both have choices to make that could determine their very futures.

This was a good book and a fun read. Chance, David, and the surrounding cast of characters are all relatable (the dialogue of David’s best friend can get a little cheesy sometimes), and I was definitely rooting for Chance and David. Plus, this story has some interesting things to say on the industry of fame. If you’re looking for an enjoyable, quick read, I would recommend this.