Truthfully, I did not love any of the characters and I had a hard time believing the chemistry between them, but I still had enough fun with the plot around it to suspend my disbelief and still enjoy it.

I really wanted to enjoy this one. The premise is one that I’m naturally drawn to, due to my love for fame and chaos. It’s really unfortunate that I couldn’t fully dive into Darkhearts like I wanted to.

The pacing felt very choppy to me. It didn’t feel like things were naturally setting into place. The dialogue felt emotionless as well. There were things happening but I couldn’t connect to the story or characters. I knew from early on I might struggle with the development of the story and the structure but I was hoping those things would fix itself as the story progressed.

I think there is a lot of potential with this story and I hope others can feel differently than I have. We can never have enough queer celebrity storylines.

I'll be honest, I have no idea how many starts to give to this one. It was a good read, it had me entertained, but it also felt like something was missing from it. While in the beginning this only made me look forward to when things really started, as it advanced and the feeling persisted, it just whispered to me: it should have been better.

3+

The story centers on David, who left his band as he felt the other two members were too much, despite being his childhood friends. Moments later, the band signs a contract and becomes a big thing. Two years later, he meets them again in unexpected circumstances: Eli died, and Chance is expected to return on stage too soon. But it becomes a way for Chance and David to reconnect. Even if it opens back the wounds that never healed properly.

This was my first book by James L. Sutter, and it seems like he did a big jump of genres from what Goodreads has listed under his name. It doesn't feel like it, though. And the story is good, the way David needs to get over himself is built stealthily, and it's rewarding. The romance is also cute, and at times hot. The couple has real chemistry. And maybe because of the author's background, the music scene in Seattle was very well described—at least for someone who has no idea how it is supposed to be, lol.

But as I said, there was something unfulfilling about the story. It would seem to be getting there but it never did. Maybe because we, the readers, could tell that as David was, the romance could never work out, so whenever he was with Chance, that dark cloud of doom loomed over. (I'll confess the parts about David's work were also a little too detailed and bored me a bit; good research, little use to make the plot more interesting).

The cover is pretty, the story is good, we have a lot of extra stuff going on that would be good discussions in book clubs. It goes beyond what many queer YA romances explore.


Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for an ALC of this one.

David quit his band, Darkhearts, in high school shortly before the band blew up in popularity. Now, he is faced with his past mistakes when one of his old bandmates dies and the other tries to reconnect.

This was super good! I really enjoyed all of the band aspects and the tropes about dating a famous person. The relationship development between David and Chance was really good and reminded me in some ways of Beating Heart Baby, which I loved.

Queer Band Books are amazing and I want to read every one I can find. Thank you.

CW: death, alcoholism, addiction, abandonment

If you are in the mood for an angsty, teen love story that checks the box for every teen movie cliché, this is the book for you. I was in the right mood to read this one so I enjoyed it, but it would have been a pass if I started reading this with higher expectations.

Chance, Eli, and David were childhood friends and bandmates until David left the group. Chance and Eli went on to make their band, Darkhearts, an international sensation and David was left behind with his anger and pain.

After Eli’s tragic death brings Chance back to town, he gets close with David again. They rebuild their friendship and discover that their feelings are deeper than they used to be. Due to the spotlight that Chance lives in they have to keep their relationship a secret. Cue the jealous angst from David, Chance’s hurt feelings when he feels like David is just using him like everyone else in his life, and the drama of David’s best friend finding out he was lying to her about his relationship status.

It is all a perfect storm of hormonal teenage drama with a cast of colorful characters. Everything in this book is surface level and fairly predictable, but it is a good read when you are looking for an simple young adult love story.

Recommended for: older teen/young adult readers

Content warning: alcoholism, alcohol poisoning, teen death

I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

When David quit his band in high school, he never imagined the fame his ex-best friends would achieve. Now he's living a normal high school live while Chance, the ex-best friend, lives a life of stardom and fame.

However, when tragedy strikes, David and Chance are thrown back together. As they reconnect, they throw away their enemy status for a newfound, secret romance. And a chance for David to possibly rejoin the band. As things start to get serious, David finds that his opportunity to get back in the band might also mean losing his new romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday books for an advanced copy of Darkhearts by James Sutter to review! It's pitched for fans of Alice Oseman and Red, White, and Royal Blue, and it may be the first book in a while that actually fits the vibes of those two things.

The characters and the romance are really at the center of this book, focusing on the way David realizes his feelings for chance--and thus, realizing aspects of his own sexuality. There are some great moments between them, and the texting exchanges add some lightheartedness to the darker moments found throughout the book.

The story itself does have a little bit of a rough start, but once you get into Chance and David's romance, it is smooth sailing. Not necessarily for them, but for the writing style. You'll be swept up into this secretive, boy band romance, referencing moments from both of their pasts. It's not a true enemies to lovers, but more best friends turned enemies turned lovers. Which really is a fantastic trope in and of itself.

All in all, if you are a fan of Red, White, and Royal Blue and looking for a more YA alternative, this is a book I'd definitely put in your hands!

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.

This novel is perfect for fans of If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich. It begins with David Holcomb, who left the band Darkhearts just before they hit it big, and a very awkward funeral reunion. Eli has just suddenly died of alcohol poisoning, and, at the funeral, David shares a moment with Chance, the remaining Darkhearts member. Trying to keep his emotional distance but drawn back to Chance nonetheless, David renews a frienship that turns into something more- something real that both Chance and David need. But does this relationship need David back in the music business to survive? This is a very moving book about the time of your life where you learn your truth and how to live it, made much more complicated these days by the lure of fame and its costs.

A strong, bittersweet work about grief and regret. This book is difficult to classify. While it has some elements of a romcom (friends-to-rivals-to-lovers, secretly dating, finding yourself, etc.), it doesn't actually read like one. The romance between narrator David and his love interest Chance is the main plot, but arguably the story is about how David has been stuck in the past and needs to find a way to move forward.

If I had to register a critique, it would be the fact that band member and friend Eli's death--the event that kicks off the plot and brings David and Chance back together--wasn't thoroughly handled. This was a trauma for Chance and arguably for David too. But it barely gets discussed. By the midway point of the book, Chance's feelings of guilt are "resolved" for narrative purposes (or more accurately, seemingly ignored or forgotten by David). It's clear that David is meant to be a selfish character, but the fact that this event just falls away is troubling.

I also thought I would leave unsatisfied by the 'resolution' about the choice to come out or not. Until those last couple of lines...well, let's just say I liked it better than I thought I would.

I'd recommend this book to fans of YA, coming-of-age novels, and bittersweet romances.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book at 25% for a multitude of reasons. The first reason is that the character Chance is explaining that all celebrities have personas and goes on to use Johnny Depp as an example. I think this is highly inappropriate given that Depp has a documented history of domestic violence. Additionally, the text also references Harry Potter in the form of a specific spell which is unnecessary and seen as harmful by many people. Finally, I had to DNF because while there are a multitude of reference to the main character David being chubby, the cover does not convey this at all and is erasing that representation. I’m disappointed since I was really looking forward to this story.

First I want to thank Net Galley and St Martin's press for allowing me access to an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

Darkhearts is an absolutely amazing read. A slice of life tale about friendship, love, and missed opportunities. Former best friends and band mates are reunited in the wake of a terrible tragedy, and try to rekindle some friendship from the ashes. As far as relationships and evolving romances go this is probably one of the most realistic and heartfelt portrayals I've seen in a while.

I also want to add that I was already a big fand of James L Sutter for his books in the Pathfinder Universe and was really excited to get an opportunity to see how his writing differed in this new genre. I was not disappointed. His love of movies, music, and nerd culture really shine through and influence his cast of characters and their development through the story. I love David's arc through the story and how he finds addresses the new parts of himself he hadn't acknowledged before.

Putting on my critical hat is hard on this one because it was such an easy read and the transitions seemed so effortless between the stages of their relationship. I honestly think the only thing we really miss in this is more development of Chance and his world. We get little glimpses of who he is under the surface, but we don't really get to see him grapple with as much. This could also be due to the nature of this story as we really only get to see David and his perception which skews towards his own insecurities.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a great ride from beginning to end, and I can't wait to see what James L Sutter has coming next.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the e-ARC to read and review. I'm definitely a fan of stories about pop stars, teen idols, and the behind the scenes of the music industry -- so Darkhearts was up my alley even though it's a different type of music genre. I'd say this story is predominantly about friendship and jealousy, with a touch of romance, rather than the other way around as I expected. It's such a great story premise here, of what would happen if you dropped out of a band you made as a teenager, but your former friends and bandmates went on to incredible fame and fortune. You just have to go to high school and your part-time job while you watch these kids you grew up with absolutely explode onto the scene, and you have to sit with that. Was it all owed to you, and you're missing out, or was it never going to happen WITH you there? I think that's the theme this book successfully pulled off for me, is this very grass-is-greener-on-the-other-side plus grief and the chaos of fame. It was a really compelling read, even if it was different than the original expectations that I had!

⭐️ 2.5 STARS ⭐️

I had very good expectations for this book, but unfortunately, these expectations were not met. The story fell flat at most points and didn't leave me wanting more out of it. The main characters were bland and boring, and the story was severely weakened by the poorly written characters.

I was a little nervous about reading this at first because it was compared to RWRB, which isn't my favorite book, but I was genuinely surprised. I am always a sucker for "friends to enemies to lovers" & "childhood friends" trope so I really like these types of stories. I found the book very interesting and love Sutter's writing style. Besides the cringey jokes (which I would have probably made in high school too), the issues and feelings that the characters felt were very relatable and I'm glad I got to read this before it release. I couldn't stop reading it, Definitely recommend if anyone wants a quick cute story about dumb boys who are confused and bad at feelings.

3.5/5 ⭐
Two years ago, David was part of a band, Darkhearts, with his best friends Eli and Chance. When things started to ramp up though, he left, and they didn't reach out. Instead, they became famous. Now in present day, Eli has tragically died of alcohol poisoning, and David and Chance are thrown back together. As they start to hang out again, David starts to like Chance. Then a kiss leads to more. However, Chance can't risk coming out, so he and David must hide their relationship.

All the parts of David and Chance outside of the music world, I enjoyed a lot. I thought their chemistry was good, and it was well written so where the reader could feel the teenage awkwardness. However, any parts involving music just made David annoying. I felt like it erased any character growth he had had up until that point. Overall, a decent YA romance, especially if you can put up with David's whininess at times.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am loving this story. It feels so unique to consider the story of the rise stars, as well as the one that was left behind. Plus that twisted wrench of what happens when you rise to fame and your partner passes away.
I liked the characters right from the start, they had a good dynamic that felt both tense and familiar. The story feels a bit like Adam silvera’s history is all you left me. It felt heart wrenching and real, while also being quite sweet.

4 stars

This is a great read! Fun, witty and heartfelt, it’s a mature YA read about friendship, love and second chances, with a friends-to-lovers, m/m, rockstar romance. I was hooked from start to finish, and I loved this one!

David’s life hasn’t been the same since he quit Darkhearts, the band he started with his two best friends. Right after he walked away, Darkhearts got signed to a label, and his best friends Chance and Eli found fame and fortune as the faces of teen pop/goth/rock. Meanwhile, he’s spending his summer working for his Dad’s construction business and has spent the last two years being angry and bitter that his best friends left him behind.

When Eli’s sudden death brings Chance back to town, he and David come face to face for the first time in two years It’s awkward, But as they grieve together and finally talk about the past and all that happened, they find their way back to their easy, banter-filled friendship, full of jokes and shared memories. But suddenly, David is feeling more. It’s confusing and kind of overwhelming, but he is resigned to just ignore it, until an unexpected kiss with his former best friend rocks his world.

I loved these two together. There’s a well-established closeness between them, but despite the years they’ve been apart, and the vast differences in their current lives, most of the time they are just two guys joking around and having fun together. And that’s the cornerstone of their relationship, even when things change between them.

“When did you start liking me?”
“Um.” It was a reasonable question. “I’m not sure.”
“Whew.” Chance mimed fanning himself. “The romance, it’s burning me up.” He shook his head. “You’re killing my ego here, Holcomb.”
“And I’m sure we’ll all miss it every much,” I shot back.

They’re both very new at the relationship thing, and I loved how they both handle it.. They just throw themselves into it without questioning it too much, just following their hearts and exploring it all together, and it’s fun, exciting, and so sweet.

“What do you want to do?”
Even in the dark, Chance looked a little wild-eyed, panting. “What do you want to do?”
“I don’t – I’ve never done this before. With a guy.” In point of fact, we were rapidly passing beyond the edge of what I’d done with anybody.
“What, um … What sounds good?”
Laughter erupted out of me. “You sound like a waiter.”

They have some complications – Chance’s fame for one, and the fact that he’s wanting to keep what’s happening between them a secret, both from their families, and from his fans. And then there’s the fact that he’s due to hit the road again soon to go back on tour. But without Eli in the band, is this David’s second chance at the fame he walked away from?

The drama is well written, and brings the heartache, but it’s minimal and handled well. There’s a bit of a coming-of-age feel to the story as David has to figure out what’s important to him, where he wants to be, and how to get there, and Chance has to learn how to balance his career and his relationship, while staying true to himself. At different points of the story, my heart ached for both of these boys and what they had to work through, but it’s really well done, in a way that is real and relatable (even with the extreme of celebrity factored in).

She was no different from the photographers, or Chance’s parents, or the random fans passing in the street. Just another person publicly laying claim to Chance, in ways I wasn’t allowed to.
He belonged to the whole world more than he belonged to me.

There’s a fabulous cast of side characters – David’s other best friend, Ridley, is freaking hilarious, and his Dad and the boys he works with also add a lot to the story. But the highlight of this book is the relationship between David and Chance – their love story is so sweet, but it’s their friendship which is the centre of it all, and their dialogue, text messages and sweet moments together made me laugh and smile, and stole my heart.

Such a fun and sweet read. 4 stars.

4.6

Growing up, I was never a big fan of boy bands. During the One Direction craze, I mostly just read books yet didn’t dislike when their songs came on the radio. They had a sort of magnetism about them that made everyone stop and take a look. Nowadays, I’m more a fan of girl groups, but I still think about the electricity that comes with boy bands and how it cannot really be replicated in the modern era. So when I got the ARC for Darkhearts (thank you St. Martin’s Press!) I was very very excited to dive right in. This book is about love and the spotlight in the same way that it is about sorrow and jealousy. I would be bent out of shape too if the band I founded only got famous after I’d left. I throughly enjoyed David and Chance’s relationship and how they’d floated back into each other’s lives after a tragedy. I will say, I did think that the book would have more of an emphasis on grief — seeing as they both lost a friend. Thus, I gave this book a 4.6 out of 5 stars. If you liked this, make sure to check out If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales, Kiss & Tell by Adib Khorram, and Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall!

After being compared to one of my favorites: Red, White and Royal Blue, I was excited to read to Darkhearts. I wasn't able to finish this read as I didn't connect to the story and felt like there were just words on a page. I DNF'd this book at 58 percent. While others may enjoy this one, it wasn't the right one for me.

I don't think that I can love a book more than I love DARKHEARTS! In this beautiful self-discovery romance, two boys who used to be in a band together come together as they mourn a friend and build a relationship. Hulc (David) is still bitter at Chance for "taking" his band from him after he quit and cannot think of a worse person to have to see after the death of a friend, but Chance reaches out anyway in hopes of reviving their friendship. This is one of the sweetest romances that I have ever read! As the boys enjoy their budding romance, they have to work through jealousy, trying to re-start the band, and learning who each other REALLY are. 5 stars!