Not a book I enjoyed reading although it was curious to discover who the stalker was/what they were doing to Jack.

Wow, this was addictive.
I've got to admit, Jack of Hearts exceeded my expectations and was a really fun read, and definitely an important book for young adults. Alongside the fast-moving plot there are interwoven lessons about perceptions of LGBTQ+ sex and relationships, and also broaches subjects such as BDSM and consensual sex, and manages to do so without lecturing the readers. The characters are loveable and, most importantly, realistic, and as you move through the plot, you desperately want things to work out for all of them (which made for a bit of a stressful read when things got worse for them, not gonna lie!). I feel like this will be a well-loved book for many reasons, but namely because of how the author is fearless with his approach to describing and narrating sexuality - it's honestly really refreshing!

Stalker/LGBTQ novel, memorably witty and shrewd lead character, important topics.

4.5 stars

I've never come across a lead character quite like Jack. Admittedly, I don't read much LGBTQ literature, but YA titles I do read would tend to place anyone similar in a secondary role. Here Jack is 'queer', he's out as a makeup-loving, shopping-fanatic, stereotype-box-ticking homosexual teen.

Jack is comfortable with his promiscuity, he doesn't want a long-term relationship, his mother knows about his lifestyle and accepts it. He's the subject of much gossip at school, mostly exaggerated, but he can put up with that. A friend asks him to write a column for her online paper, sex advice based on readers' letters. But he soon gets love letters posted into his locker... notes from someone who seems to be watching Jack, a big admirer who wants Jack all to themselves.

A breath of fresh air really, Jack is open about sex and his sexuality, his friends talk naturally about sex (rather constantly!) and using graphic language. Jack's letters and sexual encounters are described with openness and some explicit detail.

It is almost like two books in one, but the two threads are well-connected as Jack's sexuality clashes with his stalker's need to dominate and control him.

I can almost picture Jack through his descriptions. He's a vivid character, and especially in the first half of them book, very funny.
(talking of homecoming) "Home wasn't the only thing that was coming!"

He's also refreshingly secure and forward-thinking in his vision: "Everyone gets to use their naughty parts however and as often as they'd like." I really enjoyed his 'Jack of Hearts' letters to readers, though they did sound rather professional and not just the product of a mature 17-year-old's life experiences. It did feel a little like the author putting across a liberal, humanistic viewpoint to reassure readers. Though personally, I applaud that!

Jack has some amusing friends, a slightly clouded friendship but there is love between them, and my favourite relationship was that with his mother - she just might be my idol of trusting, inspiring parenthood.

The eventual revelations didn't disappoint, I enjoyed guessing what was going on and why, and I liked Jack's narration, talking to the reader occasionally as we lived his life with him. It was so good to see a teenager comfortable with who they are, trying to enjoy being young honestly, and presenting readers with a less-common viewpoint from which to hopefully gain a fuller understanding of human relationships.

Definitely a warning on language and sexual content, this is for older teenagers (ages 14+).

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

Jack Rothman is seventeen and loves partying, make up, boys and sex. His extravagant sex life makes him the hot topic for school gossip. Jack doesn't care about this and lives his life by the mantra 'it could be worse'. When he starts writing an online sex advice column he starts receiving mysterious love letters, that start to turn creepy. His secret admirer knows everything about him; who he's sleeping with, who his mum is dating, where he goes and who he's hanging out with. They claim to love Jack but not his outlandish queer lifestyle. As the letters start getting worse Jack must try to figure out the identity of his stalker before he gets hurt.

I am always on the look out for new LGBTQ+ YA to read, so I knew straight away I wanted to dive into Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts). And oh boy I was certainly not disappointed! It was such a fabulous read that I devoured in less than two days! This is a book that in my opinion is going to mean a lot to teens who are struggling to accept their sexuality.

This book is very sex positive and because of this there are a lot of scenes that some readers could find uncomfortable? I, however, didn't have any problem with this at all. It is promoting the fact that sex is normal and does happen and that you should be able to do what you want with your body as long as it's safe and consensual. Homosexual sex is not spoken about nearly enough as it should be, especially in YA, so I have huge respect to the author for bringing this to the forefront of our minds.

Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts) also takes a very interesting look into gay men. Especially how they are viewed by the LGBTQ+ and straight communities. At one point we see Jack call out some straight girls for fetishising him, and that was just great. The book also highlights the struggles some individuals have with coming out, something that I feel a lot of people will be able to relate to.

Jack...ahhh I loved him! I found him to be such a genuine character that could become a role model for many. He was so authentic and well developed. He was confident and comfortable in his own skin and his positivity surrounding sex is something a lot of us could learn. His sassy attitude was amazing and he is certainly one of my favourite LGBT characters in YA.

The plot itself was really interesting and very realistic. Stalking is something that happens a lot in society and it does need to be spoken about more. Jack's reactions to it were perfectly viable and I really did feel for him. The pacing of the story was perfect - I felt like I got everything I needed to know within the 368 pages. The only downside was that I guessed who the stalker was way before the reveal, however it was still done well.

Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts) was an incredible read. It was inspiring, educational, sex positive and well rounded. It is a book that will delight any reader and have you wanting to be best friends with Jack.

Jack Rothman is an out and proud 17-year-old, living a life of casual sex and high school parties. When rumours about his promiscuity get out of control he's persuaded to write an advice column for his best friend Jenna's blog under the pseudonym Jack of Hearts. Unfortunately this also gets him the attention of a stalker who becomes increasingly volatile, eventually threatening every part of Jack's life including his friends and family.

Jack of Hearts is a refreshing piece of YA fiction, giving an authentic voice to queer characters and confronting head on a number of cultural issues around the way in which gay men in particular are treated. It also offers some frank sex and relationship advice which I think many young (and older) people will find useful, particularly those who are LGBT or questioning their sexuality.

Despite tackling some serious issues and situations, Jack of Hearts remains a fun and entertaining book overall. It sends a positive message that it is ok to be exactly who you want to be and that if you happen to fit the stereotype projected upon you then there is nothing to be ashamed of.

The combination of Jack's voice, the letters to and from Jack of Hearts, text messages and the notes from Jack's stalker work really well together and never seem like a gimmick or overused in any way.

I'm 34-years-old, really enjoyed this book and would add this to the increasing number of LGBT YA titles that I wish had been around when I was a teenage boy trying to figure it all out.

L.C. Rosen should be congratulated for his bravery in putting a book out which I think will be invaluable to young gay men who are rarely able to access import help and advice around relationships as easily as they should be.

I received this book from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

The blurb for Jack of Hearts sounded really good to me, so I was excited to be granted a Galley for it - and I’m so glad I was! It’s one of those books I may not have picked up otherwise (cause it’s not fantasy lol and there’s just so many books on my tbr) and that would have been a shame.

At first the stalker element is downplayed, and it’s a little bit shock factor as you get introduced to Jack and his friends and their lives. But as it goes on I just loved it more and more. Firstly Jack’s column is amazing. Truly brilliant advice. Sex positive, personality positive (if that makes sense!), for gay or straight (or any other orientation!), boys or girls, and a lot on safety and consent. That was so good to see. It is very graphically sexual in places, but I don’t think it’s in an erotica way, just in a way that demonstrates both how an advice column about arc would be and how a promiscuous teen lives their life. And I think that we should be able to give these books to teens and expect that they recognise that - I think I would have.

And the fear Jack feels, the hopelessness, really shines through more and more as the book progresses. I just wanted to hug jack and protect him! Ironically I don’t think we’d be friends in real life, but I do love his character and how much he owns who he wants to be right now. And I love Jenna and Ben. I hope Ben is happy 😍

I did want a little more on the why’s of it all at the end, but I actually like that in real life that may not happen. The stalking was properly scary, and makes you realise how you don’t always know people and it really could be anyone for any reason. It felt well written.

4.5 stars and I’d definitely recommend this book as something that is both serious and light hearted and great for people who want to come out feeling positive about Jacks view on the world - be yourself and be safe, do what you want as long as everyone involved is happy about it, stop to talk about things (not just sex!), and generally have a positive view.

I began reading this book and quickly realised that it was not for me. I did not like the style or content.

When Jack decides to write an advice column answering anonymous questions about love and dating and being gay, he doesn't expect to start getting stalked and receiving threatening origami paper notes. The answers to these questions were great - full of safe sex advice, telling young people not to feel pressures, to take no shit, to stand up for themselves and be respected, coming through for feminism and the LGBT community and some shit that they always go through. But at times it felt like it was trying too hard to be funny, I guessed the end from quite early on, and there was no explanation as to why that person was doing what they were doing? Some really good parts, but it fell flat in others. I liked the friendship between the three in the main group, like how there was so many representations of what gay can be, and how unapologetic Jack was about who he was, what he liked, and what he did, but the characters voice was often a little boring and unrelatable, and as I've said, trying too hard to be funny, but also controversial.

This certainly is the kind of book that makes you say WOW! And not just the language, the cover design and also the idea behind it. The bravery to bring this idea to the publishers. Kudos!

I don't care what the critics think, I think we need these kinds of books. And I don't want to call it "different" because that makes me think of it as sexist or labeled. Because I don't. It's just a great story, in a way who cares about the rest if you enjoy reading the story.

I think it's inspiring and educational. And a very entertaining read with well-developed characters and a certain something that at least in today's literary world still feels original.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review.

What I Have to Say
This book was so filthy! I probably should have expected it more, but I didn't expect it to be quite so filled with sex. The sex advice column was really good though and a great resource for people look for advice about all sorts of sex things. It sucks that kids, especially gay kids, have to hunt so hard for this sort of information, but now there's a handy book complete with an addictingly creepy stalker plot to make it a good read. The only thing missing was advice for lesbians, maybe in the sequel one of the gay girls in the background could take over the column for a couple of weeks and dispense wisdom about being safe with other girls.

But as useful as it was, this wasn't for me. I'm just not a big fan of sex and it didn't just stay in the columns and necessary sex scenes. It made it hard to get into the book. When the stalker plot started up that got me into it and I liked the rest of the book fine, but it's not going to be one that I reread. I don't want to put you off though. I really liked the characters and the plot.

Definitely a must read for gay guys and for anyone who needs the sort of sex ed that's harder to find, but otherwise I'd probably give it a miss.

Jack of Hearts and other parts – Lev A. C. Rosen

I feel cheated. Why did I miss out on having Jack Rothman as being my sex education teacher? This is exactly the kind of book that we need – one that doesn’t shy away from sex, drugs and alcohol among teenagers. That being said… If you are in anyway offended by the idea teenagers doing the sex, you should put this book down and back away. There is also a stalker story line, which might be triggering for some of you, so take care if that is something that is difficult for you to read about.

My first time getting it in the butt was kind of weird. I think it’s going to be weird for everyone’s first time, though.
Meet Jack Rothman. He’s seventeen and loves partying, makeup and boys – sometimes all at the same time. His sex life makes him the hot topic for the high school gossip machine. But who cares? Like Jack always says, ‘it could be worse’.
He doesn’t actually expect that to come true.
But after Jack starts writing an online sex advice column, the mysterious love letters he’s been getting take a turn for the creepy. Jack’s secret admirer knows everything: where he’s hanging out, who he’s sleeping with, who his mum is dating. They claim they love Jack, but not his unashamedly queer lifestyle. They need him to curb his sexuality, or they’ll force him.
As the pressure mounts, Jack must unmask his stalker before their obsession becomes genuinely dangerous…

Guys, this was so good to read!
I know I am 30 and therefore should know a thing or two about the sex by now, but that doesn’t mean that I didn’t wish I had books like this when I was growing up.

This is the story of Jack, he’s a teenage boy who is out and proud, he has a super supportive and accepting mum, some fabulous friends and is pretty fabulous himself. Seriously, this is a pretty cool set of kids. Jenna and Ben, the two bffs, are just as awesome and strong as characters as our main man. Jenna is the daughter of a high flying journalist, who wants to be an award-winning reporter herself and Ben is a whiz with fashion, creating some amazing outfits, not just for himself but anyone who wants them. Jack knows exactly who he is and what he wants. He likes boys, he likes sex and he likes practicing safe sex as much as possible. Which is why his best friend asks if he’ll write a sex advice article for her website and he does. The advice he gives is exactly the sort of thing I would have wanted to know – seriously, this kid knows his stuff. However, while most of his classmates find his column helpful and waste no time in sending him questions, he gains the attention of someone who likes to leave him threatening messages and this stalker story line is the main arc in the book.

I think the stalker aspect of this book started out well, it was creepy and as the stakes got higher, it got ore and ore addictive as we try to figure out who is doing this to Jack and why. The problem is that the actual reveal fell a bit flat for me and that did kind of take away from my overall enjoyment of the book. That aside though, I did really love the sex positive attitude of the story and the great representation for gay and bisexual teens. The whole idea of gay stereotypes is also examined in this and that was appreciated! The only other thing I will say is that this isn’t everyone’s story – Jack and his friends are very rich, they go to private school and live in luxurious apartments and brown stones in a very expensive part of New York. Like seriously, there are talks of ‘pre drinks’ in this book, which for me as a working class British person is sipping on very cheap, nasty super market booze before going to a party/bar/whatever. In this universe, the kids hang out in an apartment building drinking champagne before hitting the party. Like, how many people actually do that!?

Overall – this is such an enjoyable read – so get on it!

3,5/5 stars.

Jack of Hearts is one of those books that you need to start with an open mind, a liking for its cover and a very vague idea of what it is about. That’s how I started this book and I’m SO glad I did it this way.

This book is about Jack, a gay teen, that is very open about his sexuality which has led him to have the reputation of a slut at school. But he doesn’t really care and just lives his life the way he wants. However, after starting a sex colum on his best friend’s website, Jack starts getting small pink origami messages in his locker and from there, things take a sudden, unexpected turn for Jack.

I can’t and won’t tell you more as otherwise it would ruin the plotline and all its twists - the very ones that caught me by surprise regarding what kind of story you’re getting.

Jack of Hearts is an important read that openly deals with gay sex, sex in general, stereotypes and the fetishisation of gay men by straight people - especially girls. The author doesn’t shy away from the details and from the very truth at the heart of our society. It was a true breath of fresh air to read about these topics in such an open manner.

When it comes to the characters, I can happily say that I absolutely loved them - especially Jack. They were funny, honest, sassy and real. Our MC is the true star of this book - obviously. He is absolutely fabulous in the sense that he is who he wants to be without any care in the world about what people might say. I truly admired that about him. And he is so blunt about sex, it’s amazing and refreshing. It’s not everyday that you come across such a character in a YA book.

The plotline was alright and like I said previously, took me by surprise more than once. However, I got a bit disappointed by the ending and how fast everything got resolved. It was still a very good ending with a big surprising reveal.

To conclude, I can say that Jack of Hearts (And Other Parts) is a very interesting and honest book with really amazing characters that you will grow attached to, especially Jack. It’s also a very important book by its diversity and topics. I am sure fans of Becky Albertalli, Adam Silvera and Emily M. Danforth will love it.

This is an excellent LGBT YA novel revolving around the unfortunate events Jack faces when he falls into the clutches of an obsessive stalker.

The discusses in the advice column, not only on sex in general but specifically safe sex for homosexuals is incredibly important and well managed. The novels target audience is of an age of individuals entering this new phase of life, and whilst dressed within a stalker-mystery narrative, it comes as priceless advice.


The ending was completely unbelievable and I would definitely recommend this book

This book is very honest and graphically describes the sexual encounters between Jack and his partners. For a young, gay adult I think this would be a really enjoyable read and one which they would identify with. Personally, I didn't like it. I didn't take to any of the characters and was only mildly interested in the plot. I skip read most of it.

This was such a different read for me. I read M/M, I read YA and I read mysteries but I've never read a book that ticks all three boxes before.

Jack is an out and proud young man. He's unapologetically single and ready to mix and mingle with any other men with the same thoughts around sex and relationships - ie he wants one and isn't interested in the second. Wild stories around Jack's exploits do the rounds at school. With strong relationships with his best friends Jack has a seemingly idyllic life.

But someone isn't happy with the way Jack lives his life. What seem like harmless little notes left for him gradually become a threat to Jack and those around him.

Here is a clever way of showing how any person's life can be turned around and how pressure can depress even the strongest of characters.

The only thing I really found was a little disappointing was the reveal of who the author of the notes was. The whole reveal was just such a let down after the entire build up to this moment. I was expecting something explosive like a firework and in the end I had a sparkler that didn't light.

Still the build up to this moment and the fleshing out of the characters throughout the rest of the story was enough for this to still be a really enjoyable read.

It's refreshing to hear a young voice that is open and honest about their sexual experiences and I'm immensely happy to read a book where a large part of the story relates to the honest experiences of the main character. Alongside the honest sexual experiences is a mature voice that talks about the emotional side and impact of all of this and gives rise to a young but experienced voice.

I think this was a bold statement from the author and the publisher to include this in what is by and large a YA book but it's well overdue. Teens are out there having sex so why not give a voice to the thoughts of their peers.

Jack of Hearts (& Other Parts) is not what I expected.

High school dramas are exactly what they say on the tin. They’re high school dramas. They’re fluffy, cute, hilarious with a lot of serious elements that may or may not have a moral of the story.

It’s fine if they don’t. I’m not always looking for a story to teach me a lesson. Sometimes it’s nice when they do, but if I constantly wanted that from a book, I’d just read textbooks all the time.

I requested Jack of Hearts (& Other Parts) on Netgalley because of all the things I enjoy about contemporary high school dramas. I love romance, the characters who still haven’t figured out who they want to be yet, the stories about finding yourself and navigating the world you don’t quite understand yet (and maybe never will). But Jack of Hearts surprised me in a lot of ways and was actually both a lesson and a fun read.

For starters, let’s talk about the setup.jack of hearts and other parts

Jack is an out gay teenage boy attending a private school in Manhattan. He’s flirtatious with an active sex life. Everyone talks about it. When his friend suggests he take up a sex advice column, he thinks well, everyone’s already talking about it, might as well.

Already, there’s so much to unpack here.

Gay fetishization is such a prominent thing on the internet. Sometimes it’s hard to spot. Some might say a lot of fan fic is a product of gay fetishization. But then others (me included) may say queer fanfic is the result of queer viewers/readers not seeing themselves represented in the canon. Fanfic is the least of our problems, but it’s interesting how gay fetishization has wormed it’s way into fandom and sometimes dominates entire spaces.

Jack of Hearts is a self aware version of that. You have your gay character, and instead of the reader becoming obsessed with his sex life, his school is. If people can fetishize fictional gay people, and famous gay (and straight but thinking they’re gay) people, would they end up doing the same to their peers?

It’s an interesting topic to read about, but not one that many people talk about. There’s straight allyship, but then there’s making people’s sexuality a fetish, and I rarely see it shown within LGBTQ+ novels. Maybe because a lot of LGBTQ+ novels are written by straight people? *sips tea*

I think Jack of Hearts is a very poignant and unapologetic novel about sex and the LGBTQ+ community. It’s that PSHE/Sex Ed lesson you should have got growing up. It’s a frank discussion about the (literal) ins and out of sex without getting too boring and technical. It’s still a fun story, after all!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for the opportunity to review this book.

Jack Of Hearts And Other Parts is about a high school boy called Jack, he’s Gay and is proud of it. Which is nice to see. Jack is very promiscuous and very open about Sex, so open in fact that he agrees to write a relationship/sex advice article on his friends blog. This makes Jack the target of a jealous stalker who sets out to blackmail Jack.

In my opinion this book is in the wrong catagory or at least should come with a warning. THIS BOOK IS OVERLY SEXUAL!

This may not be a popular opinion but I’m being honest, nearly every page has references to Penises, sex or nudity. There is way too much sex and too much means it loses its meaning and effect to the point where it’s boring.

I did somewhat enjoy the story so I can only give this book a three star rating.

This is the sex positive novel that we need in our lives.

This novel follows the story of Jack who is an out and proud gay boy who has a reputation as the school slut. Jacks’ friend persuades him to stat a sex advice column on her online newsletter. Jack soon starts to find notes in his locker from a secret admirer. These start of as innocent but soon turn threatening and it’s up to Jack and his friends to find out who is behind them before someone gets hurt.

I really loved the character of Jack, he is not afraid to be himself. He also likes sex and is not ashamed of this and is very outspoken about the fact that he is not ready to get into a committed relationship. We definitely need more characters like Jack in YA literature.
I also really liked Jack’s friends. Jenna can be quite blunt at times but she genially cares about Jack and wants to protect him. Ben is a sweetheart who is also gay but unlike Jack he is a virgin and is waiting for the right guy.

This novel is very sex positive. The novel promotes the message that sex is normal and not something that you should be ashamed of. You should be able to do what you want with your own body as long as it is safe, legal and consensual. That whether you decide to have lots of sex or no sex it’s completely normal and you should not be judged for it. It also promotes the importance of safe sex and explores non heterosexual sex.
There is also discussion around homosexual stereotypes.

Trigger warning for homophobia, stalking, slut shaming. There is also talk of sex.

Overall, I really loved this novel and we need more sex positive stories like this in YA. I gave it 5 out of 5 stars.

I think the best part about this book is how profoundly honest it is. Many could have taken this exact story and written something that only had half the information in it. It could have been patronising or self-censored and it just wouldn't have worked. This character is worth reading because he is so totally authentic, and so are his friends. I won't go so far as to say it's true to every teenager, but it's true to a fair few that I've met, and it's far more true than some of the other portrayals I've come across, particularly in YA contemporary. 

It's a book that I think some school librarians are going to struggle with, particularly in more conservative schools, but that's their problem frankly, and this is a book that young people need. We need places where people can get honest, accurate, helpful sex advice,  particularly since sex-ed in schools is just awful (at my school it was called 'relationships day'). I can see this book helping people, particularly young people, and that's so important. 

The thriller/mystery portion of the plot is quite difficult to read at times. I don't mean that it is badly written, I just mean that it's an uncomfortable topic to engage with and could be quite triggering for anyone who has gone through a similar stalking/harassment experience. The way that the issue escalates from something that just feels a bit odd, that could even be the start of a 2000s rom-com, to something truly horrifying so quickly is a powerful thing to read. 

Which brings me to my one criticism, I won't spoil the ending because obviously, it's quite an important thing to keep quiet, but it is dealt with so quickly. It felt very much like a tv episode that had run out of time and had to rush to get the plot tied off. It was a shame because the earlier portions of the book were so well-paced that this felt very strange, and left me feeling rather flat. 

Now, obviously, I'm not a gay man, so I can't speak to the accuracy of that representation, but it did feel as though it came from a place of truth, and that I can respect. 

My rating: 4/5 stars

I received a free digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Quick recap: my 16 year old son recently “came out” loud and proud and having seen Love, Simon at the cinema with him earlier this year I jumped at the chance to read this book when it appeared on Netgalley. He’s NOT a reader like me (I would consider disowning him just for that (joke)), but I never shy away from a challenge and may have mentioned this book to him 5 or 10 times, even getting in contact with the publisher to arrange for a paperback copy as he doesn’t read on a kindle. Eventually he took the bait and said “why don’t we read it together on your kindle until my paperback copy arrives?”. Cue some very awkward bedtime reading and I dread to think what my neighbours thought if they could hear my 16 year old reading out loud some of this book to his middle aged mum.

Once the paperback copy (with stunning matching fan) arrived my son decided he was going to go and read it alone and left me to finish the book on my kindle so here are my thoughts:

Jack Rothman is a fascinating character. He’s confident, sassy, intelligent, loyal to his friends, popular and very sure of himself. He’s a credit to his single, working mum, a sensitive and caring friend and let’s not forget his sense of style, great sense of humour and love for all things glittery. He is also really, really, really into casual sex and doesn’t care who gossips about him.

When his best friend Jenna asks him to write an anonymous sexual advice column on her website he, begrudgingly at first, agrees and using his frank and often brutally honest replies elevates his status to “super star” within the school. This, however, brings the unwanted and scary attention of a stalker who initially appears harmless but then starts threatening Jack, his family and friends. Now Jack is on a mission to catch his stalker and get back to partying.

This book is aimed primarily at the LGBTQIA Teen market and I am pretty sure this will appeal to both boys and girls, straight or gay as there are so many important messages within this book. However, it is also bound to get a lot of negative reviews and possibly upset a few people because it’s so graphic in places and as a mum I found it both “eye opening” and “eye watering” at the amount of casual sex Jack has.

To sum up my feelings here; this book is OUTRAGEOUSLY open, FANTASTICALLY frank, GLORIOUSLY gay, EFFERVESCENTLY educational, HEARTWARMINGLY honest and BREATHTAKINGLY bold.