Alternate Paperback

📖 My Dark Romeo by Parker S. Huntington Rating: ★★★★.5 Okay, so I just finished *My Dark Romeo* and my brain is still doing cartwheels, but like, the good kind. If L.J. Shen and Parker S. Huntington write it, my finger is already hovering over that 'buy now' button, no questions asked! And this one? It absolutely delivered. Seriously, this book is a masterclass in slow-burn, will-they-won't-they tension that had me absolutely hooked. It's a dark romance, yes, and oh my goodness, the spice is definitely there, but it's so much more than just that. The way they balance the intense heat with genuine character development? *Chef's kiss*. Dallas, bless her heart, is so much more than her character initially lets on. She's smart, sassy, and genuinely loving, not just a pawn in some grand revenge scheme. (Though, side note, maybe we could tone down the "she loves to eat" bits just a tiny bit, haha, relatable but also, girl's got layers!). And Romeo? *Swoon*. He's the morally gray MMC of my dreams, seriously. His character arc is a strong, compelling part of the book, watching him navigate his own darkness and evolve. This story dives deep into an arranged marriage where Romeo, a cruel billionaire heir, is out for vengeance against Dallas, a feisty heiress who is absolutely not afraid to fight back. Their dynamic is a wild dance of power, vulnerability, and shifting alliances, evolving from initial animosity into something much deeper. They tackle some heavy topics, but with such grace and respect, which I really appreciated. The theme of breaking free from constraints resonated so much, like this quote: "Cages aren't made of bars. They're made of thoughts, expectations, and fear."🗝️💭🐦 It perfectly captures how these characters grapple with internal and external cages, seeking liberation. If you're looking for an intense, spicy dark romance with heavy emotional themes, morally gray characters, and complex relationship dynamics that give you substance beyond just physical attraction, then this is your next read. 📦 What to Expect 💖 Slow Burn Romance 🔥 Grumpy/Sunshine Dynamic 🤯 Complex Relationship Dynamics 💔 Deep Emotional Themes 🌶️ Plenty of Spice 👑 Arranged Marriage Trope ⚔️ Vengeance Plot 📚 Book Tags Keywords: Dark Romance, Arranged Marriage, Billionaire, Revenge, Morally Gray, Spicy, Emotional Tropes: Grumpy/Sunshine, Enemies to Lovers, Will-They-Won't-They, Beauty and the Beast Vibes, Forced Proximity Triggers: Dark Themes, Vengeance, Emotional Manipulation, Violence 🎯 Final Thoughts Honestly, if you're ready for a book that will grab you by the heart and not let go, with characters you'll obsess over and a story that's both intense and incredibly rewarding, then you need *My Dark Romeo* in your life. Go read it, you won't regret it!

Dallas Costa, a strong-willed woman who refuses to marry a man she doesn’t want, is caught in a twisted game of revenge when she meets her Romeo, a guy who’s driven by anything but love. Their connection is instant, but not in the typical romantic way. He sees her as a pawn in his plot to get back at his rival, and she’s got her own vendetta against him. The banter between these two is pure gold—so much dry humor and teasing that you’ll be laughing out loud. Seriously, some of the things they say to each other had me cracking up. While there isn’t a super complex plot, the chemistry between Dallas and Romeo makes up for it. Their tension-filled interactions and smutty moments are steamy, and the emotional connection is surprisingly real considering the circumstances. I’ll admit, I couldn’t put it down, even though I know it’s not going to win any literary awards. Sometimes, you just need a fun, entertaining book that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and My Dark Romeo delivers on that front. There are some odd moments—like the random references to Riverdale and TikTok—but it didn’t ruin the fun for me. If you're looking for a book with wild drama, steamy scenes, and a lot of humor, give this one a try. It’s the kind of read that’s so bad it’s good, and I absolutely had a great time with it. ᪥ Dark Romance ᪥ Arranged Marriage ᪥ Age Gap ᪥ Billionaire ᪥ Mafia ᪥ Enemies To Lovers ᪥ Dual POV

Nowadays, I can't go right into a book by Shen and say, "oh yeah, I know EXACTLY what I'm going to get and its going to be epic!" Whelp, now, for her last TWO books, I've been blown away, just like the beginning days and I was so happy about it! Yes, it started out dark with the men oppressively hating women but morphed into something real and rich over the course of the book. It was a slow burn and the build up made me fall that much more in love with it. With having read a few books by Huntington (who is an amazing writer herself) I could tell (well, I think so at least) who wrote what and that was fun too! Parker seems to write books where her H respects the h a bit more than Shens more recent books but still have a heck of a backbone and doesn't take crap. We got a good blend here and it made this book magical. I loved how we got to peel back the layers of both characters and how they seemed to have absolutely NOTHING in common only to discover they both have fierce determination and dogged steadfastness, not allowing anything to get in the way of what they wanted. That right there was the foundation of this union and it blossomed into a thing of beauty. The , of course, we have those infamous stëamy scenes! 😮‍💨those bad boys were straight up unapologetically raunchy! 😏I even had to clutch my metaphorical pearls a time or two and THATS saying something! For the actual act to not even be the end game of the smëxy times this made it that much more naüghty in my opinion! These two were 🌶️💦🥵🔥HOT without a doubt. Yeah, these authors know how to light it up for sure!! I have mixed feelings about the secondary characters and will wait to see how their stories pan out in the next few books to fully make a judgement but I did like them, they were fun and brought some laughter to the story for sure! But also have the potential to go the crazy route too (and who says that's a bad thing)?? All in all, this was a great read and even greater listen. I first heard the narrator Jacob Morgan in my 1st Parker S. Huntington book and have followed him since. I LOVE his voice, just YUM! Stella Hunter is also one of my favorites. She gives great inflection and draws you deeper into the story she makes you feel part of it. These 2 together? Wow, made for an amazing, hit AF read. Its such a relief when authors get the right narrators to pair with their books! These 2 were spot on in this case and you will be grateful for it if you chose to listen! I did a little bit of both (read & listen) as I like to listen when I'm driving too! Can't wait to see what happens next!

He called her shortbread. Im not sure how exactly I feel about this. This was my first read by this duo. I loved the text thread between the three bros and those texts were pure gold. I was kicking my feet laughing every time they messed up Dallas’s name.

My Dark Romeo was such a delightful surprise. I even thought the co-authors, Parker S Huntington and L.J. Shen, had slipped up on the genre because I couldn’t stop grinning from ear to ear. And not only did I have trouble putting this enemies-to-lovers standalone down, but what-the-heck moments kept me on my toes. Get this! The witty banter combined with everything I look for in an angsty read isn’t just unforgettable; it’s sensational! How could I not fall for Dallas Townsend, an angelic-looking southern lass whose parents had overindulged her and who freely admits dilly dallying her days away reading, sleeping and feasting? She’s got herself into a real pickle this time! Much to daddy’s dismay, the apple of his eye has got to eat humble pie to rectify an almighty blunder. Now, there’s a catch that isn’t exactly his idea, but all said and done, making sure the Joneses would decipher it as he thought fit might smooth over the damage done. Ooh, my—if I didn’t laugh out loud, I cried! I disliked Dallas’ future husband from the word go. Romeo Costa is cranky, meticulous, filthy rich, and oh-so sure of himself that his proposal felt like he did what he’d set off to do in one breath. Easier said because drama will be nipping at his heels at every turn. So, had he bitten off more than he could chew? Yeap, literally chew!!! Wait for it—he has a habit I detest, and his usage of the word ‘wifey’ made me cringe on the spot! Neither was I into his trying to make Dallas obey the rules by trying to knock the sass out of her innocent yet vengeful spirit. If that isn’t enough, she comes up all rosy-cheeked with a bee in her bonnet. The question is if he’ll dampen her desires. I can’t remember the last time I’d cheered someone on so much as Dallas. Neither can I recall my opinion of an anti-hero like Romeo taking a 180-degree turn the way it did. Goodness me, if there were ever someone who melted my heart and rattled my cage at the same time, it was him! I loved that the authors kept me waiting to learn about his past life and the reasoning behind him only letting a special few see his true colours. Would Dallas be able to break down the walls Romeo had built to protect himself whilst he’s safeguarding her? Perfect character plot development, and reading Romeo and his two comrades in arms cracking messages was a real treat—their sarcastic comments about the whole situation abounding. Ooh, and steaminess is guaranteed! Simply phenomenal, ladies, and looking forward to more! Bravo!

The following ratings are out of 5: Romance: 💙💚💖 Steam: 🔥🔥🔥 Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📔 World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌍 Character development: ☺️🤭😳😘 Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙 Narration Type: Dual Narration The heroine: Dallas Townsend - she attends the Chapel Falls debutante ball for the food. That is where she first sees Romeo. She is engaged, she was promised before her birth, she thought it would happen in the future, until she found the announcement in the society pages two days ago. She is known in her family as the lazy one, though she is witty and bright. She is also very much a product of her environment. A twenty-one-year-old virgin who does what her family wants without trouble. More than anything she wanted to be a mother. The Hero: Romeo Costa - he is a mega-billionaire who is set on becoming the CEO of his father's company, though he is the current CFO at Costa Industries, a defense firm (weapons) and had tripled the revenues since graduating college and is ruthless in both his business and personal life. He is out for revenge against his main business Rival who happens to be Dallas’ fiancee. He also has to find a bride, or the CEO position would go to Bruce Edwards, who his father mentored. The Story: Dallas and Romeo meet at the Debutante ball where he is the talk of the Ball. Dallas is the only one he dances with, and he offers her a hook-up. She decides to meet him, though she is saving her virginity, so she wouldn’t go all the way. She knows Madison Licht, her fiancee sleeps with other women on the regular. Though she doesn’t mind since they have only met a few times and only talk on the phone once or twice a month to get to know each other. While hooking up with Romeo, they are caught by everyone at the ball when the wall they stood next to fell over and they were on the stage in front of the entire audience. Dallas immediately sees how angry her father is and everyone starts talking about what a scandal it is, though Romeo obviously orchestrated the entire thing. They end up engaged to each other. “She is beautiful, unhinged and would rather eat her own eyeballs than marry me.” “I’d given Dallas Townsend my first scandal, she’d given me her future. It did not seem an equitable exchange and marked the first time in my adult life I’d ended up on the losing side of, well, anything. All over a girl who would sprint into a stranger’s white van if it meant she could get her hands on a piece of candy.” There are some great supporting characters in this book, especially Romeo’s friends whom he shares a group text with. They are pretty funny and such guys in everything they do and say, and I loved that they thought the whole situation was hilarious. Romeo was cruel at times and definitely cold blooded, but I can certainly understand why he hated Bruce Edwards. He thinks Dallas has an insufferable personality from the start. Though he makes her move in with him (and sign a prenup) right away. Though in truth, I pretty much felt the same about his personality from the start. He was way too arrogant. I didn’t really like the way they traded insults for the better part of this book. They hated each other and made no bones about it. Both of them were very childish about the way they treated each other. They were more annoying than anything, especially at the beginning, though I got over it and the story got much better as it went along, so I ended up invested in the characters and what they wanted. This audiobook was told in dual points of view via dual narration. It was narrated by Jacob Morgan and Stella Hunter. Both of these narrators are terrific. Stella Hunter has a soft, feminine voice which sounds intelligent and is perfect for Dallas. She also does a few accents for supporting characters, though I was glad she didn’t use one for Dallas. Jacob Morgan has a great deep gravelly voice which I just love. He always does a fantastic job.

What an amazing duo, L.J.Shen and Parker S. Huntington did an amazing job, and gave us great book, a masterpiece that is going to leave you only wanting for more. This was my first time reading something by Parker S. Huntington, and for sure it won’t be the last time. And for L.J.Shen there is no secret that I am obsessed with her work. Every time I read a new L J Shen book I say that this is her best work, and every time she writes another one, I am completely blown away by her talent and writing. And this time, she did it again. I couldn't put the book down, I was fascinated by the story and I finished the book in only a few hours. My Dark Romeo is an arranged marriage, with a twist of grumpy meets sunshine, Beauty and the Beast vibes, standalone that is absolutely going to steal your heart. It was such an amazing reading experience, I had the best time while reading this book. It has everything you could possible want: from the constant banter between the two main characters that is so entertaining, the back and forth between them, the perfect amount of angst and the spicy scenes that are just the perfect amount of spice and steam, that in the end you will need to bathe in holly water for the rest of your life. Romeo Costa is absolutely the worst, and I am being very kind saying this, he is every woman wet dream, he is handsome, and he knows it, with a body that could make the Greek Gods jealous, and just his presence makes every girl and woman week in their knees. All of them, expect Dallas. Dallas (or Shortbread as Costa likes to call her) is the match the set fire to Romeo’s life. She has been raised in a small but very wealthy southern town with so much aged traditions in it. Even though she was sheltered all her life, she is so much more that meets the eye. She is smart, driven, loves to read, stubborn and has a mouth on her that most of the time gets her in trouble. I loved her obsession with all that is food, especially sweets, her enchanting personality and her passion for life. I absolutely loved seeing these two interact with one another, they were constant banter and their perfect chemistry. If you love a good enemies to lovers, grumpy meets sunshine and arranged marriage tropes, believe me when I promise you that this book is perfect for you.

Slow burn love, but the love lingers throughout, leaving you constantly needing to read more! It's definitely spicy in all the best ways, without leaving you feeling dirty. The characters all play an important role and the details are perfect! The book is written well and holds your interest throughout! Romeo has a dark past and holds onto his anger. Later on, he was engaged but she burned him. After that, he lost a bit of his humanity and went into work/power mode and sought revenge for his wronged childhood. When he sees Dallas at a ball, he's smitten. He tells himself it's for revenge and to gain his role in the family company, but there's a deeper reason he won't grasp until more towards the end. Dallas, a 21 year old southern bell born into money, is stunning and raised to be refined. She starts out trying to please those around her, especially her parents. They sheltered her and she saved herself for her future husband more out of fear of being ruined than by her own choice. The future husband has been arranged since she was born and his name is Madison. She doesn't have feelings for him, but she likes him 'enough' and hopes to one day love him. He's kind to her and seems to mean well, despite being a bit older than her. Things change quickly at the beginning of the story, when Romeo sweeps in and steals her away from Madison. Her reputation is at stake if she tries to step away from Romeo, and she doesn't want to risk ruining her family name. Her sister is her everything and she won't ruin her sister. After going through with her marriage to Romeo, it's an ongoing battle with their relationship and her ex fiance is a constant problem. Romeo is cold and distant throughout but slowly loses his control over his emotions, while Dallas grows a backbone and lashes out in her journey of self discovery and even becomes devious! Both start to secretly harbor feelings and those feelings grow. Deceit, revenge, lust, past trauma, and love all play into the story and I have to say, it's one of the best books I've read in a while! I was on the edge of my seat reading this, without feeling overly anxious. Some books make me angry and sick from anxiety. This one had the PERFECT amount and I fully recommend reading it!

J’adore absolument tout j’ai rigoler et les protagonistes sont top j’ai rigolé et j’ai adoré leur histoire

OBCECADA com esse dark romance, simplesmente maravilhoso e cheguei a conclusão de que eu amo a escrita da L.J Shen e que quero conhecer outros livros da Parker🩷, Dallas e Romeo não poderiam ser mais apaixonantes e loucos, eu amei tanto a personalidade da Dallas, uma mocinha doida e fofa, cheia de caráter e força, e o Romeo? OBCECADA por este homem, ele é louco que nem ela e muito mais duro de se lidar, mas no fim ele é apenas uma fera com a necessidade de ser amado e teve sua rendição, eu amei muito esse livro. 🥺🩷

A fast paced, impossible to put down story. An enemies to lovers story that glued me to the pages, it had me laugh and feel, it entertained me giving a reprieve from everyday demanding tasks, this book feel in my lap at the right time.

Cudowna historia!!!! Romeo i Dallas to romans, który nie tylko rozpala emocje do czerwoności, ale także nie daje o sobie zapomnieć. MUSICIE przeczytać tą książkę.

Wow, this hero was one thick block of ice that needed to be thawed out and it was not a quick process. I do not think I have ever read a hero quite like Romeo! But I gave this 5 stars, not for Romeo or even Dallas but for the entertainment this author gave me. I know many readers will not forgive Dallas or Romeo for their crass mouth, or certain antics but I rolled an eye here and there and moved on. Romeo was a piece of work and I doubt anyone will fall in love with him. Dallas was hilarious most of the time, the push and pull childish at times but never the less great entertainment.