The Ballad of Darcy and Russell by Morgan Matson

THE BALLAD OF DARCY AND RUSSELL by Morgan Matson (The Unexpected Everything) is another well-crafted romantic comedy featuring two soon-to-be college freshman. Matson is adept at developing characters and describing adventures; a personal favorite is her Amy & Roger's Epic Detour. In the latest, Darcy and Russell are stuck in a bus station in Jesse, Nevada, on their way back to LA after having separately attended a music festival. Darcy is almost out of cash and neither has a cell phone charger, so they set out to solve that immediate problem but end up creating more. A near arrest for trespassing turns into a helicopter ride, shared confidences about family situations, an eventful road trip, re-evaluation of college choices, and a physical relationship. That all happens in roughly 24 hours which is a little hard to believe. At times the story seems to drag as Darcy mulls over her choices although other sections are sweet and caring. Angsty teens will find the range of emotions to be quite relatable – School Library Journal recommends this title for grades 9 and up, saying “This look at the realities of what comes after love-at-first-sight is worth a read.” THE BALLAD OF DARCY AND RUSSELL received a starred review from Kirkus (“quippy dialogue, hilarious jokes, and corny but juicy chemistry”).