I received an eARC of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Based on the synopsis, I’d expected Darkhearts to be a much heavier and more serious book than it was, but I was surprised to find that it was a far lighter and funnier book in reality. I really enjoyed 80% of this book, it was sweet and funny and I loved reading Chance and David find their way back to each other. I did have a few frustrations though, I really wanted the conflict promised in the synopsis to be the central conflict instead of only coming into the picture 75% of the way through the book, and the way that Eli and Chance and David’s shared grief over Eli’s death fizzled out after the beginning of the book until it became plot relevant again felt a bit weird. I very much enjoyed the last chapter of the book, though it made me wish we got to see the fallout from the actions there. Overall, it’s a sweet and funny book about two boys making their way back to each other after time apart through shared tragedy, and David’s journey to recognize when he’s self-sabotaging. I’d recommend it to fans of If This Gets Out; Red, White, and Royal Blue; and Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun.