In the Darkest Note novel, by Nelia Alarcon, as the lead vocalist of the Kings, Dutch Cross (H) is used to getting his way with the help of his brothers Finn and Zane. His best friend can’t return to Redwood Prep now that new student Cadence Cooper (h) has taken the final available slot, so he schemes to make her life miserable until she transfers out.
He doesn’t think Cadence will always oppose him or put up a struggle. He learns that winning back his best friend’s Sol seat may be more difficult than he anticipated and resolves to step up his efforts until she is no longer a student. She is the only person who has the courage to confront him, which only adds to his fascination with her.
At the same time, he’s interested in a redhead he clicks with because of the unique manner she plays the piano. While he is obsessed with Redhead and enjoys torturing Cadence, he is oblivious to the fact that they are one and the same.
Dutch and the Redhead had a “romance,” if you can call it that, because he thought she was Cadence. He would relax his guard in her presence, letting slip personal details he would not have revealed elsewhere. But if Dutch was so smart, why didn’t he notice it was the same female, just with a new hairstyle and different eye color?
It was like being given Hannah Montana, and it hurt like hell. Then he’d go to school and harass Cadence mercilessly until she left, all for the sake of getting Sol back. Again, he could have persuaded another student to leave the school if he was so powerful there. It never really went that far.
I told him to pack it up because he was only a kid claiming to be a god. He had an extremely inflated sense of self-importance and was frequently unreasonable in his behavior.
It was understandable that Cadence, as the Redhead, piqued his interest due to their mutual appreciation of music, but it was puzzling that he should be considering her even when she was an annoyance.
It bothered him that she was the only person he’d ever met who didn’t adore the earth he walked on. It was clear that he was only interested in her for the thrill of the chase and never truly cared for her. She was singled out as the outlier because she was the only person who dared to challenge his superiority complex.
Final Word
As far as the genre of Bully Romance is concerned, The Darkest Note by Nelia Alarcon is a good read.
You pick up a book like this one for entertainment purposes rather than expecting anything profound from it. Teenage boys are not going to be in charge of the school, and I highly doubt that there is a paid gossip website where students can share information.
No matter who their dad is, nobody is going to look up to Dutch, Finn, or Zane. It was hilarious, if a little farfetched, that the school congratulated them.
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Bully Romance
Author: Nelia Alarcon
Reading Time: 8-10 hours
Rating: 4.3/5
Series: Redwood Kings
More Books by Nelia Alarcon
- The Ruthless Note by Nelia Alarcon (Redwood Kings Book #2)
- The Broken Note by Nelia Alarcon (Redwood Kings Book #3)
- The Forbidden Note by Nelia Alarcon (Redwood Kings Book # 4)
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About the Author
Sarah Patel is an ardent reader and a lover of diverse narratives. Her curiosity drives her to explore books across multiple genres, from fantasy and science fiction to contemporary fiction and memoirs.
With a degree in Creative Writing, Sarah has a profound appreciation for storytelling and character development.
