Darling Venom: A Standalone Best Friend’s Brother Romance

I sobbed and sobbed. This book is so devastating in its depiction of suicide and the grief that comes from the ones who were left behind. I loved the relationship between Charlotte and Tate. The plot twist in the end! Wow. It’s just amazing. I’ve never cried so much.

Wow, this book was not at all how I was expecting it to be. This was so much better than I could have ever thought it would be. The banter, the storyline, the emotional connection and pull, it was everything. I couldn’t stop laughing at the jokes and when it got really deep I couldn’t stop crying. This was so good and so well written. Parker S. Huntington is one of my favorite authors and this book was AMAZING.Reading rating: 5⭐️

*****Spoilers*****So this book and I have a love hate relationship, part of which is what I couldn't get past to give it 5 stars. That it is also what makes this book so emotionally full that I cried several times while reading it. Better said, the it is more a who and that's Kellan.The book opens with Kellan and Charlotte, both on the roof of their school wanting to end it all. Even though she's there for the same reason, Charlotte convinces Kellan not to jump and they make a pact to meet up the same day every year through their senior year of high school, to let the other know if it's too much and either is back to their suicidal thoughts, and to keep their friendship a secret. The first several chapters go through the years starting at 14 and moving up through high school. It's their senior year when Kellan decided to take the leap, on the day Charlotte is held up by 40 minutes after running an errand for her sister, without informing Charlotte in advance. Her world is upended along with his father's and brother's afterward. With the way the book opened, I had high hopes for Kellan and Charlotte, so this new development completely destroyed where I thought this book was going and severely upset my expectations in a way that I didn't recover from even as the book continued. Tate is the brother Kellan always told Charlotte he hated and she was immediately on Kellan's side but Kellan never really provided many details as to why his brother was so hateful when he was still alive other than minor snippets here and there. In any case, I read this book feeling that Tate stole the happiness with Charlotte that should've been Kellan's.Otherwise, the book is good. Due to happenstance, Charlotte has the opportunity to confront Kellan's brother and unleashed a small piece of the rage she had for Tate after the stories Kellan told her. Combined with guilt, Charlotte has plenty of reason to leave Tate firmly in the hate him box, that is, until she talks to him. And learns that there were things about Kellan's life that she didn't know or understand and that Kellan didn't either when it came to his family situation. As Charlotte and Tate share their memories of Kellan and their lives keep intersecting after that first meet, both Tate and Charlie work toward something more for the two of them. Old scars must be overcome but in the end, Tate claims Charlotte for himself and Charlotte conquers her own demons as well.It's well written and long, the latter a huge plus in my opinion. I did find it hard to believe Charlotte was able to mend Tate and his dad's relationship in such a short time and wasn't buying Terry's rapid turnaround either but both lend themselves well to the story as it's told.

Phenomenal book. I was riveted and couldn’t put it down before finishing it. It was complex, real, heart-wrenchingly sorrowful, and full of redemption.

I would give this book all the stars in the world if I could. Heartbreaking and beautiful. Best book I’ve read in a long time. 5 stars doesn’t even begin to do its justice.

I couldn't stop reading. Broke my heart and pieced it back together with every chapter. It was agonizingly thorough in depicting the character's pain, grief, and healing. Loved it

Okay, let me start by saying this book has a heavy theme around mental health and suicide. So if those aren't your cup of tea then don't dive into this book. It's pretty evident from the book blurb that there's a death of a character that sets motion to the majority of this book.Book starts with Kellen and Charlotte in school and meeting when they were both at the bottom of their barrels and managed to save each other in those moments. From there they agree to meet on that day every year until the end of school. But that was the only day of the year they met and talked. Yes they sent books/poems to each other but it doesn't really seem like they talk to each other all that much. So it confuses me when they call each other best friends. They more sound like friends that vent about their minor problems but leave the leaching traumas to themselves (least Kellen does).After the first part ends and Kel is no longer an active participant in the story, I found it VERY hard to get through the next half of this book. I think it was around 58% where I actually started to enjoy the book. FIFTY EIGHT PERCENT. My gosh. So many moments up to this part were cringing and embarrassing to read and didn't give me any real emotions. I personally would have given this a 2.5 star, but I always round up.Tate and Charlie, they have SO much they could bond over, but they just decide to make it hard and difficult (it's not even the fun kind of tension). Charlie, very early, learns that Tate isn't the brother Kel made him out to be and basically says she thinks he's a better person. Tate just has this hard on about not trusting Charlie and that there's no way her and Kel could be just friends. Which I will say, Charlie isn't 100% open and honest with Tate at first, she feels so much guilt about her friends death that she's scared opening up will just make him put even more guilt on her.It's not until Charlie finds out about the letter Kel left on that night for her and the book he wrote that he wanted her to finish that she finally starts to let go of that guilt. Through this book Charlie realizes there was never anything anyone could do that would have stopped him, but he left them with a gift to help those he left behind heal from his absence. This part of the book is where I started to enjoy it. The elements worked well together, there wasn't meaningless interactions between characters, and the cringe factor was dialed back. This book did not have to be 700 pages!Overall, I loved watching Charlie's growth in this book. Even watching her relationship with her sister go from down right awful to a loving relationship warmed my heart. I do feel like some of the resentment Leah had towards Charlie was 100% unnecessary and I'm glad she came to terms with how she treated her was poor.Terry's growth was another character I was proud to see. Again it takes over 50% of the book to see any other these characters really start to make any growth and that's something that frustrated me reading it.It takes Tate until the last like 15% to start to grow, but I expected that from his character as he was the stubborn brother who couldn't get it out of his head to let himself love his younger brother's friend. That typical for these types of books tho.Overall, I wouldn't waste my time reading all of this again. I might read part one, skim through until the 50% mark and then read from there if I was desperate to waste my time, but there are other books with this exact theme to it that are more condense.

I don’t even know where to start. This is the first book in a very long time that has made me FEEL. This is beautifully written, the story is deep and impactful, I’m sitting here GOBSMACKED. I literally started it at 7pm and it’s now 6:08am because I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. Take it from me - read this book. Easily the best thing I’ve read all year and a top 5 favorite ever. What more can I say? Loved it.

I felt it. Deeply.Read it. Not because i'm saying so, but because you will not regret it.To the author, ill be forever grateful for this masterpiece. No words can describe the amount of complexed feelings this reveled. I saw myself in Charlie, Tate, "sperm donor dearest" but mostly, i see myself in Kellan.It was a call... ill do better.Thank you, from the bottom of my aching heart.

Please please read this book it's amazing. I haven't read something this good in forever. Please read it. I was hesitant to read ir though it was going to be a high school romance boy was I wrong. This such a beautiful story

What is not to like this!!! was one amazing read I like how this author made the character real with all emotions in toll it felt soo real it reminded what it was like living in darkness. I wish they had book like these when I was in high school cause i see as mental heath education it should be talk about it more in schools and give it it a insight of mental health at it best version good or bad I have recommended this book to people I did see it as romance but the writing is soo above more then romance it had real feel, real understanding I don't do well talking what in thebook I would spoil it. soo I go by the writer unique writing skill the and apply to the story Line ya ya I have a deep mind. but read it for yourself u won't be disappointed.

This book destroyed me and then rebuilt me. Absolutely broke my heart, and then wove it back together and gave me something to believe in. A beautiful tapestry of agony and loss, drowning, fighting, and then finally seeing the dawn. This book is going to sit with me for years.

Ce qui rend ce roman si puissant, c'est sa capacité à aborder des sujets difficiles avec une sensibilité remarquable. Le deuil, la dépression et les conséquences de ces batailles intérieures sur la vie des personnages sont explorés avec une honnêteté brutale qui vous touche .