Description

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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?

About the Author

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James L. Sutter is a co-creator of the best-selling Pathfinder and Starfinder roleplaying games. He’s the author of the young adult romance novel Darkhearts, 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 bands ranging from metalcore to musical theater.

Praise For…

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Book Riot, "Spring 2023 YA Books You’ll Want to TBR ASAP"

Goodreads, "48 Deeply Romantic New Young Adult Books" and "The Most Anticipated Young Adult Books of June"

LGBTQReads, "Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Romance of 2023"

Paste Magazine, "The Best New YA Books of June 2023"

SheReads, "Best YA Romances of Summer 2023"

The Nerd Daily, "Must-Have Queer Book Releases 2023"

"Sutter does an excellent job of building both character and compelling plot, turning his novel into more than a simple summer romance as he brings David and Chance to vivid life on the page." - Booklist (starred review)

"Sutter’s swoony YA debut...is romance at its absolute best." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Tenderly written and exceptionally sweet... A funny romp with a lot of heart." - Kirkus Reviews

"[An] ebullient romance...humorous dialogue and steamy romance, vibrant supporting characters, sex-positive messaging, and complex ruminations on sexuality propel this heartfelt read." - Publishers Weekly

"I stayed up until almost 2 AM reading this book and had absolutely no regrets...Sutter masterfully deals with topics of grief, sexuality, jealousy, parents, insecurity, and friendship." - GeekMom

"An achingly real tale of first queer romance and a brutal cut at the lies we tell ourselves all in one hilarious package. Hard emotional truths lead to a satisfying, healing payoff in this love story filled with music, woodworking, missed opportunities, and nuanced queer representation. Seeing someone push through their bs to find love and real emotional growth? We love to see it."- M. K. England, author of The Disasters and The One True Me and You

"Sutter's breezy, warm-hearted prose feels almost like a trick: blink and you'll catch yourself surprised by the more emotional moments in the book. A fantastic, slow-burn romance both sweet and poignant, hilarious and brilliant." - Cassandra Khaw, USA Today bestselling author of The Salt Grows Heavy

"Laugh-out-loud and tearful at the same time, Sutter's Darkhearts combines real characters, smart prose, and an emotional journey into one fantastically relatable read." - Charlie N. Holmberg, bestselling author of The Paper Magician series and You're My I.T.

"A messy, joyful story about what happens when rockstars meet reality, and about finding the part of yourself that makes you whole. These boys and their love story filled up my heart—I couldn't stop reading, and I didn't want to." - Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling author of Illuminae

"Darkhearts is a delightful, boy-centric YA that doesn't shy away from Romance with a capital R. Chance is a soulful, ethereal mystery to the reader, and David a down-to-earth, weighty mystery to himself, but wherever your tastes lie, you'll find it in Darkhearts. Sutter has created a world that will feel starkly familiar to teens, layered with exploration and an unflinchingly real glimpse into the sometimes elusive world of the teen boy. Top everything off with an insta-fave quirky best friend, and a setting steeped with musicians' culture—Sutter is an author to watch." - Aprilynne Pike, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Wings series

"Characters so well-drawn you feel like you know them—and so compelling you wish that you did. Darkhearts is rad as hell." - Dan Wells, bestselling author of Partials and I Am Not A Serial Killer