Parker S. Huntington

From Wall Street Journal bestseller Parker S. Huntington comes a broken love story laced with angst and forbidden romance.I wasn't supposed to be on that roof on Valentine's Day.Neither was Kellan Marchetti, the school's designated freak.We met on the verge of ending our lives.Somehow, the tattered strings of our tragedies tangled and tightened into an unlikely bond.We decided not to take the plunge and agreed to check on each other every Valentine's Day until school ended.Same time.One roof.Two restless souls.We kept our promise for three years.On the fourth, Kellan made a decision, and I was left to deal with the consequences.Just when I thought our story ended, another one began.They say all love stories look the same and taste different.Mine was venomous, disgraceful, and written in scarlet scars.My name is Charlotte Richards, but you can call me Venom.

A Standalone Best Friend's Brother Romance (Limited Edition Cover)

Darling Venom

Fayee Magan

Here’s a life lesson I’d never wanted to learn. Our secrets are nothing but a string of memories we wish to forget.

raia – inactive

He did, because he gave me the most wonderful gift before he died.

I think, wherever he is, he’s okay now.

"Opportunity lasts a moment. Regret lasts a lifetime."

Instead, I placed a hand on his shaking shoulder as he clutched his son’s book—his son’s soul—to his chest.

“You’re breathing, Charlie. You are breathing, and it is beautiful, and I am so grateful for that.”

His eyes told me he knew pain, and pain knew him, and they were in a committed, unbreakable relationship.

“If she gave me the letter on time, if she hadn’t asked for those fucking cigarettes that night, would you still be alive?”

Guilt is pain's fuel, and it rekindles everytime the flame fades.

"The problem with books about suicide is they're written by people who are alive."

"I wish I had cancer. Or some other grand battle. Dementia, stroke, organ failure. If I lose those fights, I'm brave. But the thing I'm battling is my mind. And if I lose, they'll just call me weak."

From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Parker S. Huntington comes an angsty love story between two broken souls.I wasn't supposed to be on that roof on Valentine's Day.Neither was Kellan Marchetti, the school's designated freak.We met on the verge of ending our lives.Somehow, the tattered strings of our tragedies tangled and tightened into an unlikely bond.We decided not to take the plunge and agreed to check on one another every Valentine's Day until school ended.Same time.One roof.Two restless souls.We kept our promise for three years.On the fourth, Kellan made a decision, and I was left to deal with the consequences.Just when I thought our story ended, another one began.They say all love stories look the same and taste different.Mine was venomous, disgraceful, and written in scarlet scars.My name is Charlotte Richards, but you can call me Venom.

A Best Friend's Brother Romance

That was better than a million I-love-you-s🥲

Souhaila

“Pain is growth. Fear is risk. You can’t be happy if you’re not growing and taking risks.”

Suicide is a war of two fears—fear of death and fear of the thing that pushes you toward it. The stronger side always wins. And if you lose, the penalty is death.

I realized, with depressing clarity, that she wasn’t the venom at all. She was the antidote. But the quantities were all off.

People liked smiles. They made them feel comfortable. Told them, “Everything’s okay here. Don’t look too close. Don’t dig too deep.” In other words, smiles were an excuse not to care.

Guilt is pain’s fuel, and it rekindles it every time the flame fades.

I feel like I'll be emotionally destroyed before finishing this🥲

To those walking the edge of the roof, don’t do it. 

And to those who make them, good luck surviving yourselves.

Sidney Schaffner

I loved the way this was written. But something about it was missing for me to give it that fifth star

honya

THIS BOOK WILL ALWAYSSSS HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART. THE WAY IT HAD ME SOBBING SM I COULDNT SEE STRAIGHT. THE WAY, EVEN WHEN I WAS HALF WAY THROUGH THE BOOK, I WAS STILL SOBBING ABT PART 1. THE WAY IT HAD ME CRYING IN. THE. BUS. OMW. TO SCHOOL. OMFG BEST BOOK.

usually do not count my KU smutty reads and finds on here, but this one was deep and beautiful. 12/10

Kendall Lobdell

astonished honestly. I was take aback I wasn’t expecting this at all. I took a break from this book expecting nothing but overrated rumors, but woah. I’m crazed and in love with this book currently.

 is a beautiful story that deals with tough topics such depression, suicide and the loss of a loved one. 

I loved how Charlotte was able to heal and move forward;  how strong she became, or maybe she already was, but she didn't realize it. 

Kellan, misunderstood, abandoned and left to his own devices, it broke my heart to read what he endured.

Tate, his attempts to make things right, to help his brother and protect him at the same time. 

Their healing process, not only Tate and Charlie but also Terry and Leah, felt so real, I appreciated that it wasn't wrapped it up hastily in a couple pages or taken lightly. 

All that being said, I still think that 700+ pages is too much. It could've easily been 200 or even 300 pages less long. 

Aaaand another one to add to my failed list of made-me-cry books. I haven't shed a single tear and everyone is saying it's a soul crushing story😂 

Darling Venom is a beautiful story that deals with tough topics such depression, suicide and the loss of a loved one. 

I loved how Charlotte was able to heal and move forward;  how strong she became, or maybe she already was, but she didn't realize it. 

Kellan, misunderstood, abandoned and left to his own devices, it broke my heart to read what he endured.

Tate, his attempts to make things right, to help his brother and protect him at the same time. 

Their healing process, not only Tate and Charlie but also Terry and Leah, felt so real, I appreciated that it wasn't wrapped it up hastily in a couple pages or taken lightly. 

All that being said, I still think that 700+ pages is too much. It could've easily been 200 or even 300 pages less long. 

Aaaand another one to add to my failed list of made-me-cry books. I haven't shed a single tear and everyone is saying it's a soul crushing story😂 

tbh this book was way better than I anticipated. The start made me think It was going to be another teenage tragedy, but I evolved into something a bit more honest and profound. I really enjoyed the book, and I’m glad I stuck it out.

Shai

My first 5 star read of this year and I don’t give them out often! This book was amazing but very dark so u may want to look up trigger warnings. It’s not something I’d usually read but I’m so glad I did. It was so compelling and I kept reading it and couldn’t stop. All of the characters were flawed and were in a lot of pain but that’s what made the book so good. You need to read this guys you won’t regret it (I hate the cover tho icl). There is a weird scene in it if u know u know👀👀. SOOOOOO GOOD AND I LOVED IT. It’s a long book but that’s why this book is so good; it wouldn’t work as a short book. This is the longest book I read at 700 pages and I read it in 5 days! That says something.

Marcie Allen

5⭐️

My first 5 star read of this year and I don’t give them out often! This book was amazing but very dark so u may want to look up trigger warnings. It’s not something I’d usually read but I’m so glad I did. It was so compelling and I kept reading it and couldn’t stop. All of the characters were flawed and were in a lot of pain but that’s what made the book so good. You need to read this guys you won’t regret it (I hate the cover tho icl). There is a weird scene in it if u know u know👀👀. SOOOOOO GOOD AND I LOVED IT. It’s a long book but that’s why this book is so good; it wouldn’t work as a short book. This is the longest book I read at 700 pages and I read it in 5 days! That says something.

melanie alvarez 

i’m SPEACHLESS to say the least. this book was heart wrenching but absolutely beautiful. one of the best books i’ve ever read.

CHECK THE TW!!!

Nouf almutairi

This just became my all time favorite book 
I think everyone should read this book
It was a rollercoaster, made me feel so many emotions
I cried sad tears, happy tears.
Words cannot explain how much I loved this book 
Definitely deserves 5 stars!!

Jennifer mitchell

I haven’t cried this hard while reading a book since reading A Thousand Boy Kisses. 

This book took a completely unexpected turn early on and I had absolutely no idea where it was going. But it went to a heartbreakingly beautiful place. I don’t know if I would consider this a romance book (even though yes there is romance), but it is simply so much more than that.

A story about grief, guilt, and healing wrapped into one.

Jessie Cart

Incredible

I do not normally write reviews but felt one was necessary for Darling Venom. What I thought would be a pretty standard Enemies-to-Lovers ended up being a beautiful tale of suffering, grief, and acceptance. Parker S. Huntington brought to life the complex characters and emotions of Charlotte, Kellan, and Tate. I laughed, I cried. It was simply beautiful. The story’s timeline was beautifully paced, allowing you to get to know the characters on such a deep level while Huntington’s descriptive narratives painted an epic tale. Amazing book!

Nichole Bogard

This book irrevocably broke me. I ugly cried through most of this book, it reached inside my heart and pulled out all those feelings you keep buried. Things that are not for the world to see. I will never recover from this story, and it will never leave me.

I am not sure I could truly write a review that would do this book justice. This is a story about grief, love and truth. How much can one person take before they break into nothing and the angry and pain consume them like fire? What happens when the will to fight is no longer an option? What are we left with then? 

Guilt can become a powerful force over your life and can eat away at your soul until there is nothing left. Grief can knock you flat on your back and make you stubble in the dark. And there is love if you are willing to open yourself up to it. This book is all of these things. Navigating life after a tragedy that just couldn't be stopped. 

Parker Huntington completely destroyed my soul and then gave it back to me piece by piece as the story unfolded. This will be at the top of my list for 2022.

caitlin buckley 

so. happy. im joking. ive never cried so much, joke on me for thinking ‘oh it wont be that bad’. i was very wrong, the plot was amazing, honestly not something i thought i would read, 
the thing that really made me sad was how raw the topics really were, the grief of both tate and charlie, even ‘sperm doner’ 
a penny for a thought? my new thing, ill always carry a penny, i can also never eat carrot cake without crying again. 
THE SECOND HAND EMBARRASSMENT from the opps-org i will never get over

Yami🌷

"She was broken. I was destroyed. This had disaster written all over it."

Este libro me rompió en muchos momentos, de verdad que la sinopsis no me preparo para nada de lo que sucedería, no esperaba el giro al inicio del libro, por un momento pensé que podría ser un triángulo amoroso por un edit que vi pero no fue así y repito nada me preparo para lo que sucedió.
Fue realmente una sorpresa pero sinceramente no me arrepiento y tampoco leí los trigger warning peroooo si recomiendo que se lean porque tiene temas muy sencibles.
Quizá este libro no sea el mejor para algunos pero en lo personal toca un tema significativo para mí lo cual lo hizo realmente especial.

Kellan Marchetti no estaba preparada para este personaje ni para lo que sucedería con él, me dolió su historia y todo lo que vivió, es un personaje realmente clave e importante en esta historia y aunque me duele el final que le dio la escritora al mismo tiempo lo respeto y lo comprendo mucho. Kellan es un personaje que merece ser recordado siempre 🤧

Charlotte Richards es un personaje totalmente admirable, ha pasado por tanto desde tan pequeña viviendo con una culpa y con grandes perdidas que han dejado marcas en ella pero eso no la ha detenido a luchar yo realmente la admiro y la amo mucho.
Admito que en varias ocasiones quise abrazarla muy fuerte porque la pasaba mal por ella🤧 pero fue realmente gratificante ver el final que tuvo Charlotte porque ella se merecía eso y más💗

Tate Marchetti creo que fue con el que más tarde en empatizar, incluso al inicio me atrevo a decir que me agrado más Terry que él jajajaja al principio era grosero, brusco y muy serio so no sabía cómo podría llegar a agradarme pero conforme avanzaba la historia pude entenderlo mejor y llegar a quererlo. 
Tate fue el que más tardo en dejar ir su culpa y aceptar el amor pero con la ayuda de Charlotte fue que todo lo que el creía cambio y por fin pudo avanzar 🤧

En fin que historia más hermosa que nos habla del dolor, la perdida, la culpa y las más importantes la sanación y el perdón.

Megan Lowe

This was an interesting book. Super intense, but I did enjoy it.
I loved Kellan. He was a great character and I loved how much of the story he continued to be.
I loved how complex Charlie and Tate were. I love the complex relationships between Charlie and Leah, and Tate and terry.
I did wish there was a little more spice to this book, but it was definitely interesting, definitely something different. Worth the read.

macy

i laughed, i cried, i had many epiphanies.

Siena Grace

This was a heartbreakingly beautiful book that had me loving every page. The readers follow the story of a broken girl and a destroyed boy. The characters find themselves and each other through the losses that they share. The character development was off the charts and worth the read alone. I won’t soon forget this book.

nory

the beginning was so so good but after kellan yk what i slowly started losing interest🧍🏻‍♀️like charlotte and tate had no chemistry whatsoever and the only thing keeping them together was their mutual grief. i mean good for them ig helping each other heal but even then i didn’t notice any healing being done ?? it just felt v flat imo and the ending was so underwhelming. yeah it was sad but i didn’t connect to the characters at all and they were both just kinda annoying.

samantha youngclaus

Jordan /

This is the saddest book I have ever read. I was clutching my side sobbing. 

Major major TW- please check before reading.

Megan 

Wow. Wow. Wow. Honestly while reading this I thought I would give this two stars mayyyyybe three. But holy crap the ending had me in tears and that doesn’t happen a lot so because of that it gets five 

Also I just wanna say I called it all along

Samia Elashry

Beautiful! My heart is broken omg kellan 😭😭😭

Danya <3

4.25 ⭐️ 


Genre: Romance 
Age group : Adult 
POV : First person / multiple POV
Characters: 4/5 ⭐️ 
Plot: 4.5/5 ⭐️ 
Setting/Themes: 4/5 ⭐️ 
Writing: 5/5 ⭐️
Spice : 3 ⭐️ 

• Please check TWs & CWs 
• mature language, sexual scenes, mentions of attempted suicide, suicidal idealism, suicide, addiction, substance abuse, neglectful parents, OD, plagiarism, death, stillbirth, failed pregnancies, depression
• Broken romance 
• Tropes : Best friend’s brother, sunshinexgrumpy
• HEA

”He gave me venom”

I loved this. Darling Venom’s probably my best read of the year. (So far) I loved everything about it. (I did have my issues which we’ll get to later)

Kellan. I really rooted for Kellan. It shattered me what happened to him. I thought he was wonderful, I still believe so. His strength was formidable.

Charlie. I see so much of myself in Charlie. Or the person I used to be at least. And that, hit close to home. I loved Charlie’s need to care for people, her concert for Kellan and most importantly her sarcasm and sense of humour. What I found most admirable though, is her ferociousness and determination in being there for her loved ones. 

Tate. I truly disliked him initially. But he took me by surprise. I admired Tate. The way he cared for Kellan and the things he did for Kellan. Just Tate in general. 

What I had issues with:
• Tate instantly thinking of railing Charolette. (Like cmon man,) 

Overall, I really enjoyed this. Took me on an entire rollercoaster ride.

Darling Venom A Standalone Best Friend's Brother Romance (Limited Edition Cover)

Reviews

Highlights