Darkroom by Kate Willoughby

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Title: Darkroom
Author: Kate Willoughby
Series: Moo U #7
Published by: Heart Eyes Press
Release Date: April 26, 2021
Format: Audio ALC
Narrator: Victoria Mei, Joe Arden
Length: 7 hours and 20 minutes
Genres: Sports Romance, Contemporary, Romance
Source: Heart Eyes Press
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2021 Audiobook Challenge, Lenoreo's 2021 COYER Spring, Lenoreo's 2021 Diversity Reading Challenge
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ iTunes
My rating:

Blurb:

As a top draft pick from a family of hockey royalty, I'm under so much pressure that I’m losing my edge on the ice. I need something to snap my brain out of this self-destructive stress-loop. That’s where Indi Briscoe from my photography class comes in. She’s flirtatious and funny one moment, sweetly shy the next.

But she’s cagey. She has secrets. Also? She’s a virgin. Did I mention the pressure thing? Maybe I’m crazy for starting something with her. But we can’t seem to help ourselves...

Warning: this standalone novel contains heat, heart, familial expectations, extreme milkshakes, and a hamster with deep thoughts.

My Review:

I received a free copy through Heart Eyes Press in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

3.5 stars — There were certain aspects of this story I just loved, but there was also a LOT going on and I think it was too much.

This was my first time listening to Victoria Mei, but she has a sound similar to Erin Mallon for me (which is a good thing).  Both narrators were solid, with good pacing, emotion and voices.

There were parts of Indi that I loved, but she also frustrated the shit out of me at times.  There was SO MUCH going on with her, she had quite a lot of hangups.  I think I would have enjoyed her story if it had focused on one big issue instead of being spread between two very interesting issues.  The first was her struggle with her Chinese heritage as an adoptee with white parents.  There were parts of this that made me uncomfortable and felt…I don’t know…like less sensitive or something.  But I see that the author also struggles with her Chinese heritage, so I appreciate that Indi’s problems came from a place this author understood.  I saw one reviewer mention internalized racism, and I could see bits of that…it was definitely a fascinating issue for sure.  But the resolution felt very surface level…probably because there was so much else going on.

I actually got a late advanced copy of this book because I read the first chapter and learned Indi had a Port Wine Stain (and since it’s literally in the first few pages, I feel like it’s not a spoiler and could potentially pull people in), and I was fascinated.  There was a kid in my school who had one, though he wasn’t in my grade so I have no idea what his experience was.  I loved that this was included in the book, b/c I think a lot about how we as a society treat people who look different from whatever is socially acceptable at the time.  I can’t imagine how hard it must be to deal with, b/c even I know I don’t always control my reactions when faced with something outside the norm.  I thought Indi’s struggles with her PWS was the more interesting issue, and I mostly appreciated the way her journey developed with it.  I loved Hudson’s initial reaction to it, and how his struggles to support her was its own aspect of the story.

And then there’s Hudson!  Jesus.  As if that wasn’t already a full enough book, Hudson was dealing with pressure and in the end a bunch of stuff that developed over the course of the book that added to his pressure.  I kind of loved that he was a pretty sweet solid guy, who tried to burst free of some of the toxic masculinity that surrounded him.  But he wasn’t perfect.  He blundered, he reacted badly…he felt very much like a 21 year old guy.  It’s hard to describe, but I kind of loved how he had a guy guy feel to him where his lust for Indi was concerned, but when presented with serious topics or emotions, he didn’t shy away…he tried to get them to fit.

They were cute together, I kind of loved how they had crushes and their relationship progressed from there.  Some of the steps took me by surprise, but I loved other steps completely (can we say prom night?  Swoon).

Here’s the problem (outside the whole too many issues thing): Indi and Hudson both blew up and were total dicks at different parts of the story.  The overreactions and meanness took me by surprise.  I found it interesting that it felt like we focused on Hudson’s HUGE (and kind of out of character) blunder way more than any of Indi’s.  Even though hers weren’t the same magnitude, I was bummed that I never really felt her remorse as much.  As for Hudson?  Well…the apology was okay, but it was a little quantified…and it shouldn’t have been.  I know he was dealing with stuff, but that doesn’t excuse it.

So yeah.  So much great stuff in this story, it was just a bit mired with TOO much stuff, and some characters that were unfortunately very authentically 21.