Sun Chasers / Kacen Callender / Book Review

SUN CHASERS

Kole knows how to play his part, now that he's moved to St. Thomas to live with his father and stepfamily. He's mastered the art of being perfectly under the radar.  Why did he leave his old school? It was time for a change. Why does he have a new bruise on his arm? He's very clumsy. Why isn't he interested in any of the girls in school? He is, and his new girlfriend proves it.

But he can't seem to keep up the ruse around Gabriel.

It started simple. Kole doesn't like bullies, especially transphobic bullies. Standing up for Gabriel felt right, even if it put Kole in the line of fire. He can take a little heat if he has to. Kole's used to that. Standing up for Gabriel put a target on his back... and getting closer to Gabriel isn't helping. Gabriel might be the only one on this island who can understand the real Kole, who would want to understand the real Kole. And opening up to Gabriel means tearing down the perfectly curated persona he's been living out. Even if doing so makes his stepfamily very unhappy.

THOUGHTS

This book might be a love story, but it isn't a romance, per se. Romance readers should be warned. It's a hard read, and the content warnings that come with it shouldn't be taken lightly. But it is well written, written in so intimate a fashion that often, as a reader, I felt like I was intruding -- like what I was reading wasn't meant for me, too personal and honest and open. And I think that's what this book sets out to do.

PROS

Intimacy	This is a book told from two perspectives, but these boys aren't just narrating their stories. They're telling each other their first impressions, their darkest secrets, their biggest regrets. It's a very intimate form of storytelling, because they're directly addressing each other. They're conversing, responding, recollecting. It feels very personal, like a glimpse beyond a veil into the interior lives of two people in love with each other. It felt like, at times, I shouldn't be listening in, like I should give them privacy to tell each other these secret things. And I think that's the point. It's a very unusual way of telling a story like this, and I've never read a narrative told quite like it.
Conversation	This book, as a whole, is a conversation. It's meandering. It's emotional. It's sweet and simple and dark and complicated. And a lot of the conversations within this conversation are just, well, great. It's conversations about consent, about what it means to desire and then to not desire, about changing your mind or not liking what you thought you would. It's conversations about inheritance, about what we get from our parents, about what we hope we don't take (or don't want to inherit) from the people who raised us. It's conversations about all the things people have told you to keep secret, to not share, to hide. It's conversations about bringing dark truths to light, about exposing instead of protecting those who don't deserve to be protected. And it's conversations about how the right thing can make life harder than you wanted it to be, about consequences that are exactly what you'd feared. It's a book of push-and-pull, of heavy topics that we don't talk enough about, that deserve to be talked about. And that's so, so important.
Hope	This book covers a lot of dark and heavy topics, but it is also very much a book about hope. It's a book about how nothing has to last forever; it's a book about holding on because you will find a way forward. Circumstances as they are don't have to be circumstances as they always will be. Giving up and giving in to hopelessness is a mistake in a world so large, with so much to offer. And that's an important message, because boys like Kole and Gabriel deserve to grow up, to grow old, no matter what the people in their lives might say. It's important to provide a different narrative, a clash against the chorus trying to tell boys like these two that there's no future, no point, and no hope. There is hope, if you just hang on. There is a future waiting for you.

CONS

This book deals with some very, very heavy material. It goes to some very dark places. And not everybody's equipped to read this type of material. And nobody should go into this book lightly. Not only does this book cover some serious material, it really, truly ruminates in this territory. It marinates in its dark themes, and that's not necessarily a safe or healthy place for a lot of readers. It's important; don't get me wrong. But readers should be cautious. This book comes with a whole list of content warnings, and you heed those warnings before diving in.	Check the Warnings
YA books tend to a faster pace than their adult counterparts, but this book is... slow. That's not necessarily a bad thing. I think it works for what's its doing. It's very introspective, taking its time to trudge through the difficult landscapes it presents. But it might not be the right fit for the average YA reader.	Introspective
I said above that this book is a love story, and that's true. At its core, that's what this is. But I want to reiterate that it is not a romance. Genre romance comes with certain conventions. Even dark romances or romances that touch on heavy themes, like child abuse and other serious traumas, still follow expected patterns. And this book doesn't follow those genre conventions. People who want a romance will be disappointed, because the ups and downs here aren't to be expected in the way that a romance reader craves. It's a love story, but it's not a clear-cut romance. And that comes with its own sort of warning.	Genre Defying

Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
8/10

Fans of A.M. Woody's Most Valuable Player will like this love story that takes the time to unravel childhood trauma. Those who wrestled with Mason Stokes's All the Truth I Can Stand will like just how seriously Kacen Callender takes the subject matter of this book.

Details Publisher: Amulet Books Date: October 27, 2026 Series: N/A Add to Goodreads Buy it HERE

Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.