Book Review of The Ballad of Darcy and Russell by Morgan Matson

About the Book

Title: The Ballad of Darcy and Russell

Author: 
• Morgan Matson

Published: 2024

Genres: 
• Boy-Girl Romance
• Contemporary
• YA Romance

Swoonworthy Scale: 6

Voices: 
• Cis Boy
• Cis Girl
• Straight
• White (Non-Specified)

Cover Story: Color Blocks
BFF Charm: Eventually
Talky Talk: Classic Morgan Matson
Bonus Factors: Celebrities, Blended Families, Musical Theater
Relationship Status: Let Me Sing Along (From Afar)

Cover Story: Color-Blocking

This is definitely a departure from all of the photo-realistic covers that have graced Matson’s past books (cartoon people strike again!). The bright colors are eye-catching, and the big heart certainly warns you “this is a romance!” Beyond that, I don’t have any strong feelings one way or the other.

The Deal:

I could have warned Darcy that going to a music festival as an introvert would not be A Good Time, but, alas, I didn’t know Darcy until she was already on her return trip, stranded at a Nevada bus stop and depressed that in just over 24 hours she’d be on a plane to college in Connecticut. With her phone dead, Darcy has to do the impossible: talk to a real human. Luckily for her, that human turns out to be similarly stranded and winsome Russell, a fellow LA teen whom she clicks with immediately.

The book follows them over the next twenty-four hours through quite a lot of revelations and emotions, and while it was clearly obvious what was going “on”, I’ll let the book reveal its secrets to you at its own pace (about 30% of the way in, if you’re feeling impatient as you’re reading).

BFF Charm: Eventually

I’ve met multiple Matson heroines, and they all tend to remind me of the same person with different details sprinkled in, so it’s no wonder that I both equally liked and found Darcy quite frustrating. Each girl usually has a “fatal flaw” she needs to work on, so there’s always measured character growth, which I appreciate, but there’s also moments I desperately want to shake the character by the shoulders until they finally Get It. Darcy has a self-proclaimed “black and white” sense of morality that makes her quite unyielding. It IS a very real teenage thing to have such a rigid moral code until it’s tempered by real life experiences, but once she learned the importance of “nuance” I think we could totally hang.

It’s another instance where I vibed most with Matson’s male lead, as she tends to write great, well-adjusted and thoughtful book boyfriends! Sa-woon!

Swoonworthy Scale: 6

Russell and Darcy have an instant connection, the kind that only seems to exist in movies, which Darcy is WELL aware of. She’s at once super into it and also on edge, waiting for the other shoe to drop. As a non-fan of insta-love, this shouldn’t be my jam, but Matson made me believe, and everything was juuuust charming enough that even if it felt a bit too good to be true, I was entertained enough to go with it.

Talky Talk: Classic Morgan Matson

Every time I open a Morgan Matson contemporary, I (an Old) begin to think, have I finally aged out of these thoughtful yet still light-hearted coming-of-age romances? They tend to start off feeling very innocent and fresh in a Sarah Dessen-y, early 2000s way that doesn’t quite feel “realistic” for our 2020s hellscape (or the scathing nihilism of Gen Z).

Soapbox time: Sometimes I do question if these YA books, many of which are being written by fellow Millennials—Matson is 42 per the Goog—ARE actually resonating with current 16- to 18-year-olds? Maybe these long-established YA authors ARE out of touch now, in a way they didn’t used to be in the early 2010s. On the flip side, I’m sure when I was a teen I was reading plenty of “older” authors’ perspectives, people who wouldn’t have related to me anymore, and yet I still found value in their opinions and they opened my worldview, so…I guess, ultimately, maybe it doesn’t really matter, and some things are universally cyclical…

All that to say, once I settled into Darcy’s story, I found Matson’s soothing, straightforward contemporary writing a refreshing balm to the dark romantasies and villain origin stories that seem to be “in” right now, and it reminded me of why, sometimes, you need a guaranteed lighter read with a happy ending!

Bonus Factor: Dogs

It wouldn’t be a Matson book without an adorable, loveable hound or two roaming about! One in particular, a Great Dane who is able to open doors and gets offended when you won’t sleep with him, was my favorite. Andy the escape artist would simply stress me out.

Bonus Factor: Celebrities

I’m torn, because #eattherich, but it IS fun to fantasize about what you’d do if you had access to practically unlimited funds and a fancy-ass compound.

Bonus Factor: Blended Families

One of Matson’s strengths is writing chaotic and often complicated familial bonds. As an only child, I related to Darcy’s quieter existence with her single dad and the kind of yearning she felt at seeing such a wildly different (and extroverted) family dynamic.

Bonus Factor: Musical Theater

Russell is a boy after my own musical-loving heart, although I gotta admit he was pulling out titles I haven’t seen or listened to (I’d consider myself a musical enthusiast but I am not a Theater Kid). Russell’s even trying to write his own musical, though he may be lacking some inspiration (…OR IS HE?).

Relationship Status: Let Me Sing Along (From Afar)

I’d be lying if I said I’d brave a music festival to stand at the front row of your concert and watch you play, Book. That just ain’t me. But if you want to wander around a small town holding hands and eating tacos, then I’m your girl.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received my free review copy from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. I received neither money nor peanut butter cups in exchange for this review. The Ballad of Darcy and Russell is available May 7, 2024.