DARKHEARTS

Fantasy author Sutter’s first foray into young adult romance follows former best friends in Seattle who reconnect and become something more.

World-famous Korean American rock star Chance Ng and David Holcomb, who is White, are reunited after the recent death from alcohol poisoning of mutual friend and band mate Elijah. David’s departure from the band before it became famous is a source of conflict between them, and they have not spoken in years. In the meantime, David has found comfort in his friend Ridley as well as in his new woodworking hobby; he intends to pursue carpentry as a career. Despite the heavy opening scene at Eli’s funeral, this story sparkles with laugh-out-loud dialogue and well-drawn secondary characters, especially movie fanatic Ridley, a confident, sexually liberated Black girl who is an aspiring film critic. Several intimate scenes between Chance and David are tenderly written and exceptionally sweet, while David’s ruminations on his sexuality feel natural and appropriately complicated, contributing to the fun and impressively sex-positive vibe. Unfortunately, clumsy, odd phrasing occasionally detracts from the otherwise charming dialogue. Several instances in which the boys’ different body shapes are contrasted and stigma around fatness is brought up could have been more clearly unpacked. The positive representation of pursuing a trade is a refreshing, much-needed addition to books about teens that too frequently focus on college as the only goal.

A funny romp with a lot of heart.