An interesting spin on Sleeping Beauty, but it was a little slow to provide enough background on the characters to invest in their relationship. The friendships in the story are more compelling than the main relationship.

However, I did also get to listen to the audio and found both narrators to be fantastic and to add a lot to the story!

This is not what I was expecting for Ollie's story but it was still a good read just the same.

Ollie has been in love with Briar for what seems to be forever. He was her safe place when growing up and his best friend that grew into more. Tragic events occurred in Ollie's family that tore them apart that he did not tell her about - he just left her cold turkey. 15 years later the pair are unexpectedly reunited in a random meet up that turned into an accident and then forced proximity.

Briar, the after thought of her parents loved Ollie for as long as she could remember. He was her savior until he abandoned her without explanation. She reunites with him only to then have an accident and get amnesia. She recovers at Ollie's house but knows that everything is not what she has been told it is until she starts to remember on her own. As she begins remembering she learns Ollie's secret - the tragedy of what happened to his brother Seb and the sacrifice that he made for his brother. As she heals she also regains her strength and stand up for what she wants in life but does not want to sacrifice herself for a possible forever with Ollie. Can this pair get an HEA??

This book was a little on the long side but with the switching between past and present helped the story. I will admit that this is not the story that I thought would be Ollie's story but it fits just the same and hopefully opens us up for possibly Frankie or Seb's story for either of them to get an HEA. Briar and Ollie's story where long was well written and worked for this pair. I loved the return of the characters from the previous books in the series and there were some LOL moments especially with Dallas. The chemistry between Ollie and Briar was off the charts and these characters were well written as well. Ollie turned out to be the opposite of what had been portrayed as in previous books of the series. Where this can be read as a standalone book, I would read the other books of the series so that one understands the dynamics between Ollie's friends as characters.

Overall, while this was a little bit of a long read it was still a good read that I enjoyed just the same. I would recommend this book to others.

Enemies to lovers
Amnesia
Fake relationship
Second chance
Sleeping Beauty retelling
Forced proximity


Main characters
Oliver von Bismarck
Briar Rose


A rolling stock of drama. Plenty of angst, steam and humor. The way is story can weave heartbreak and sadness and also add humor is what will stand out for me. story

Great characters.
Briar is strong with a fiery personality. She keeps going even when things get tough. Through everything, she remained a good person with a good heart.

Oliver is someone we all know. Hiding true feelings behind a public persona. He loved Bri with his whole heart. He loved his family. When given his second chance, he took advantage.

The supporting characters are also wonderful. They add so much to the story.

The love, the passion and the snark all come together and give us a great story. Add in the plot twist to complete the ride.

Audio review
Christian Fox, Andi Arndt
Keep story moving. Add clarity and depth to character

This one was such a FUN read. I was admittedly hesitant because of the amnesia trope, which I'm not typically a fan of, but it was done really well and wasn't the central part of the story.

I loved Oliver and Briar's story. Some areas of it were a little far-fetched but that's why this is fiction after all. LOL. The banter between them was so great. The text chats continue to be epic (my fave part). I wish there would have been a bit more romance but overall everything fit in well.

I loooovvveeeddd that we got to see so much of Dallas' crazy antics. She's so funny. I'm hoping we get books for Seb and Frankie eventually as well.

This book was a great addition to the series and one that you will certainly want to check out.

Yesssss this was so good. I'm usually not a fan of the amnesia trope but it didn't last super long and it was really well done. I absolutely adored both main characters which is RARE for me. It was a great second chance romance (childhood / adult) and showcases two people who couldn't be more different. The whole "can love ever be enough" theme worked well.

Can't say too much without spoiling but a couple of the secrets that are revealed throughout the story had my heart clenching. And some of the... we can call it pranks? Maybe? Had me cackling. This story had a lot more layers than the first two books.

Good balance of spice and plot. When it came down to the actual spicy scenes I'd say 3 peppers.

Audio was great - the MMC narrator was very appropriately casted in particular.

I think I know who gets the next book....

Thank you for the audio review copy !

“I'm done pretending I can live without you. You're not a chapter in my life. You're the whole damn story."

I usually really like fairytale retellings but this one was just mediocre for me. I felt like a lot of the story was just filler. I didn’t really think this was truly a dark romance either. I listened to the audiobook and I really like the male narrator. I wish there could have been more scenes with Briar and Cooper and I caught myself also gravitating toward the scenes with Seb. I feel like the concept was there but it just wasn’t executed how I wish it could have been. Overall, it was an enjoyable read but I wouldn’t re-read this book.

Tropes:
👑Sleeping Beauty Retelling
👑Forced Proximity
👑Fake Engagement
👑Found Family

𝓜𝔂 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓴 𝓟𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓬𝓮
✨ᴀʀᴄ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ✨

I absolutely LOVED the first 2 books in this series, so I knew I would fall hard for this one. I just didn’t know I would fall THIS HARD. I adored every minute of this Sleeping Beauty inspired romance.
🥀Briar Rose & Oliver are childhood sweethearts, but after some unfortunate circumstances, she comes to see him firmly as the enemy. Ollie is filled with regrets, and a decade later, he’s still not over her. When fate intervenes, and Briar comes back into his life, he’s hell bent on redemption. Fate has quite a sense of humor though- amnesia enters the chat shortly after their brief reunion, and Briar forgets all of Ollie’s transgressions. He’s given a second chance, and he’s determined not screw it up this time.
This was a BEAUTIFULLY executed enemies to lovers with a twist. I spent half the time cackling at the banter and witty dialogue, and the other half melting at the tension, romance and spice. Ollie is so much more that the character we first met in My Dark Romeo- he’s layered and flawed, with a complicated past, and a lot of issues to work through. And Briar was his perfect other half, with her own scars that are still healing. I loved those 2 together, and was reveling in every heated exchange, and heart-melting moment.
All the books in this series can all be read as standalones, but there is some character overlap, and the experience is enhanced when read as a trilogy. I cannot recommend these books enough. THANK YOU to the authors & Give Me Books PR for the advanced copy of this book- it was an honor to read it!

🎧The audio for this book was brilliant. Both narrators did a phenomenal job, and truly brought the story and the characters to life. They each gave beautiful, dynamic performances, and I could’ve listened to them all day long. If you get a chance to read this book on audio, I highly recommend it. ✨Huge thanks to Dreamscape Media & NetGalley for my ALC.

Tropes:
Found family
Amnesia
Second chance romance
Friends to lovers to frenemies to lovers
Fake engagement

-The book does go between past and present

I was always excited to learn more about Oliver and his backstory. There’s more to Oliver than he lets on and he truly carries a lot of baggage. He became my favorite of the trio. Him and Briar were absolutely amazing together.

L.J. Shen has long been an author known for delivering compelling, high-heat romances with intricate storytelling, and her collaboration with Parker S. Huntington in My Dark Prince is no exception. This novel presents a fresh and captivating take on a classic fairy tale, weaving in subtle nods to Sleeping Beauty while maintaining a unique, original narrative that stands on its own.

What sets My Dark Prince apart is its well-developed characters and the palpable chemistry between them. The tension, both romantic and emotional, is expertly crafted, drawing readers into a world where love, desire, and conflict intertwine seamlessly. Huntington and Shen’s writing brings these relationships to life in a way that is both engaging and immersive.

While the story doesn’t heavily rely on its fairy tale inspiration, the carefully placed references enhance the reading experience rather than overshadowing it. This balance makes the novel feel both nostalgic and refreshingly modern.

Overall, My Dark Prince is an excellent read for romance lovers who enjoy passionate storytelling with deep character connections. It’s a novel that leaves you wanting more, making the rest of the series a must-read. Fans of Shen and Huntington will not be disappointed.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Could you imagine bumping to your ex boyfriend to ceremoniously dumped you by ghosting you in Paris after taking your virginity, oh and didn’t I mentioned you haven’t seen or heard from him in 15 YEARS!!!

I would kick him in the balls so hard until they were no longer apart of his anatomy 😂

This is the third and final book in the Dark Prince Road series, it’s a childhood friends to lovers to enemies to lovers. This book does contain dark themes and when we reach the spice, it’s nice 👌🏻

The story follows Oliver and Briar, these two met when they just little kiddies and immediately our girl Briar was obsessed, she had a shitty home life with a mother and farther that ain’t even worth the shit on her show. So she finds the love and support she has been missing in the arms of our well mannered, gorgeous looking MMC, Oliver Von Bismark.

Our girl Briar is shipped off to a boarding in the middle of bumfuck nowhere by her douche lord parents until she is 18. Briar and Oliver come up with plan to stay together during that time, texting, FaceTiming and they agree to have their first time together, very sweet ☺️

On the day of her 18th birthday, there isn’t even a whisper of a word from her parents so Oliver decides to take Briar to Paris to celebrate, they bone each other brains out and then he does the good old stride of pride back to start training to take over his father’s company one day.

In the days following his return, him and his brother get into an accident which he blames himself for and so this leads him to cut all communication with Briar thinking he is doing what’s best for her and his brother Sebastian.

Briar is devastated but she moves on with her life, disowning her parents, changing her name and creates a life for herself, and then after 15 years Oliver pops back into the picture and his man is determined to never let her go again.

The two of them get into an argument and Briar goes head first in a water hazard, bumps her head which results in her having temporary amnesia. With no other members of her family to care for her, Oliver moves her into his mansion determined to make sure he never lets her go EVER AGAIN! But for Briar there is his lingering feeling, not of love but of lust and hatred.

Will she regain her memory and forgive him or will she make his life hell for turning his back on her with no explanation?

Absolutely brilliant. I know Oliver wasn’t what he presented himself to be in the previous books.

Absolutely brilliant ❤️

My Dark Prince is the third book in the Dark Price Road Series. It features our favorite playboy, Oliver von Bismarck, and his former childhood friend and girlfriend, Briar Rose. These two lost contact after Oliver’s decision pushed them away and fifteen years later fate brings them to face each other once more.

After an incident, Briar ends up having amnesia and she remembers dating Oliver for all the years that have passed and are now engaged. Oliver is “forced” to play into this confusion, knowing he is selfishly doing it to be close to his childhood lover.

This book had me on edge the entire time, I couldn’t put it down. I FELT ALL the emotions while reading, laughed so hard and cried a little.

Oliver’s complexity goes far beyond anything shown in the previous books and we finally get an insight to his mischievous ways.Briar was the perfect FMC, she gave the book all the heat and passion it needed. From her standing her ground to forge her own path, to not be scared of exploring her emotions even when she had previously been hurt. She has such a big heart capable of healing others by only being in their presence, she is the glue Oliver needed and both of them complete each other so well.

I was already in love with Oliver’s character but this book cemented my Oliver obsession. I deeply enjoyed the interaction all the characters have, the chat insight and the found family vibes.

To me this book was more than a dark romance, it was also a book about how Oliver’s found family has always been what he’s needed and the fact that they never questioned anything he shared for the sake of his wellbeing makes my heart full. I’m completely enamored with Briar and Oliver’s relationship that survived the hardest trials and how in a way both of them feel like they are lacking, when they couldn’t be more lovable.

Although I enjoyed the previous two books, this one is my favorite! ❤️

Tropes
* Second chance romance
* It’s always been you
* Found family
* Forced Proximity
* Amnesia
* Fake Engagement
* Friends to enemies to lovers

I really enjoyed the narration and especially the acting around the interactions with all friends and their chats💜

Thank you for allowing me to listen the ALC of my Dark Prince, I completely devoured the book.

Briar & Oliver
-tropes -
- Sleeping beauty retelling -Second chance
- Childhood sweathearts/lovers to enemies
- Fake engagement
- Amnesia
I truly appreciate the authors’ efforts and am grateful for the opportunity to listen to the audio arc, thanks netgalley. First book I read in the series and it was good in explaining who the side characters were and their relationship with each other.I enjoy their friend group and their messages .Didn't feel like I missed too much not having read the other books. I loved briar and ollie in the past, and how their relationship developed from childhood friends to lovers. I did enjoy them in the current time and I love seeing the relationship between these two grow once again, when Briar starts to regain her memories.

My kind of book, friends turned enemies to opps she fell and lost the last 15 years of memories. Briar getting petty revenge on him for lying to her, I was throughly entertained throughout the book. The MMC groveling is a must and Oliver did not disappoint.

This was my first book with both authors writing together and I enjoyed it. I think I would give this book 3.5⭐️. I absolutely love Ollie, but the “romance” of this book was on the light side. I was constantly laughing at the banter, and the text chains will forever stay with me. I liked the story enough, but I do wish for more romance. However the narrators were amazing! They made this book for me.

4.5 stars! 🌟 First of all, THANK YOU to Dreamscape Media & NetGalley for the ALC! 💌 I would’ve had to wait an entire WEEK to read this otherwise, and my patience level? Nonexistent. 😩

So, picture this: I’ve been waiting for this book for a YEAR. I waited so much to read this, and then boom—EXAMS. 😭 I was already mourning my fate when NetGalley said SIKE, and I saw the ALC. Immediate request. Immediate approval. Immediate serotonin. 😍📚

Okay, so looking at my rating… Pre-release me is judging so hard right now. Like, I SWORE I wouldn’t give this more than a 3 because (1) Frankie & Oliver betrayal and (2) Oliver is a h@e. 😒 But then, within the first 10%, I realized… yeah, Frankie and Oliver were never it. They do not belong together. 😤 Oliver needs someone to ground him, and that someone is Briar. 💯

To everyone refusing to read this because "Oliver is a manwhore"—babes, he’s not. We thought his reputation was partially fake, but nope—it was ALL fake. Everything. I won’t spoil, but trust me when I say I was shook. 🙀

And let me just say—the amnesia trope? Usually, I hate it. 😩 But THIS?! THIS is the only time I’ve actually loved it. 😍 It just worked. Also, I low-key think Briar replacing Frankie was a last-minute author decision because EXPLAIN THAT SCENE FROM BOOK 2. 🫠

Now, let’s discuss Briar at the dinner party after she got her memory back. 🤣😭 She out-Olivered Oliver SO HARD. I WAS WHEEZING. 😂 This girl said, “You wanna play games? Let’s play.” And she won.🔥

Also, someone, PLEASE, give my love SEB his happy ending NOW. 😩 The man has suffered enough.

✨ Tropes & Vibes:
✧ Enemies to lovers 💘
✧ Second chance romance 💓
✧ Fake engagement (but make it amnesia) 💍
✧ Childhood friends to lovers to enemies to lovers 😭
✧ He falls first, he falls harder 😮‍💨

This is officially my favorite book in the series. The angst, the banter, the DRAMA?! 👏 And don’t get me started on Young Ollie & Briar—they were EVERYTHING. Then, of course, it all went to hell, and I wanted to throw my phone. 📱💥

Final Thoughts:
1. Oliver? A beautiful mess. A funny, hot, dream man. 😍
2. Briar? She’s exactly what we didn’t know we needed. 💖
3. Frankie? She needs her own book, but she & Oliver were never endgame. 😜
4. Christian Fox & Andi Arndt? Their narration was PERFECTION. 🎧💯
5. SEB BOOK WHEN?! 😩📚

TL;DR—this book owned me. Go read it. Immediately. 🔥

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 (Rounded up to 5)
Narration: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Duration: 17 hrs 13 min
Narrated by Christian Fox and Andi Arndt
Publication Date: 02.09.25

“It feels like the sky is falling,” I confessed. “You’re strong enough to hold it up,” he told me, his words proud but his eyes sad. “Thank you.” For teaching me how to fly. For helping me regain my wings. For letting me go”

“Her lips skimmed mine, and we both traced the edges of each other's mouths, quivering, like gravity might fall us at any moment. And in that kiss, she sealed my fate. I could never love another. Briar Rose was it for me.”

🖤Dark Romance
🖤Friends To Enemies To Lovers
🖤Second Chance Romance
🖤Billionaire Romance
🖤Amnesia
🖤Forced Proximity
🖤Found Family
🖤First Love
🖤He Falls First/ Harder
🖤Dual Timeline/ Flashbacks
🖤Fairytale Retelling (Sleeping Beauty)

Authors’ Note: My Dark Prince is a standalone enemies-to-lovers Sleeping Beauty retelling, in which a damaged billionaire with a dark past and his childhood sweetheart fall in love—literally. It is set in the decadent Dark Prince Road universe.

My Dark Prince by @parker and @lj was another great book in their series. This is the third book in the series. I think this is my favorite! I love their world building and character building. They both help to bring this book/ series to life. Between their witty characters and the banter they add into their stories, it’s always a wild and emotional ride.

Briar Rose, FMC, is the only woman that Oliver, MMC, has and will ever love. They had the cutest childhood friendship. Which blossomed into a beautiful young teenage love. After a tragic event, Oliver disappears.

The story picks up 15 years later. Fate brings the two of them back together. Unfortunately, Briar has had an accident and has amnesia. With no one to take care of her, she ends up at the same hotel. From there, the story unfolds.

I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook. I absolutely loved the narrators. They did an amazing job with bringing the story to life. Great pacing and voices that are smooth. I highly recommend listening to it.

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Audio for the pleasure to listen to the audiobook.

***audiobook review ***

This was an interesting sleeping beauty retelling. It definitely kept my attention. The narrators did a great job. Love Christian Fox his voice is like velvet.

Second chance romance
Amnesia
Fake engagement
Found family

Briar and Oliver were childhood friends turned lovers in their teenage years. After Oliver goes through a tragic event he disappears from Briars life.

15 years later fate brings them into the same city/hotel. Briar has an accident as to which causes amnesia. She has no one to take care of her especially since Oliver knows nothing of her current life.

In this story you get a darker steamy sleeping beauty. You get to see the past and the present. The “flashbacks” are done well.

Very enjoyable listen.
Took off .5 because if it had been done on Duet style it would have been even better.

⭐️ = 4.5
🌶️=2

Thank you NetGalley for the audio ARC!

🎧 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🎧

This is the 3rd book is the Dark Prince Series. As far as the audio goes I loved it. Andi Arndt is one of my favorite female narrators. I love her voice and the character she embodies every time. The male narrator Christian Fox I don’t think I’ve ever heard before but I also enjoyed his voice. He also did a great job embodying the character.

I loved the first 2 in this series so it’s no surprise I also loved this one. But I will say I was a little confused to who Briar was I thought this was gonna be Frankie’s story. But Ollie was great and I did enjoy listening to this. It just wasn’t what I was expecting. I am hoping we will get another one!

This was my first book in the Dark Prince Road series, and it did NOT disappoint.

I listened to the audiobook on 1.5 for a more conversational speed, and I could barely get myself to pause it because it just kept drawing me in. It was such a great choice of narrators for this book, they made it fly by with their chemistry.

I love the universe it is set in, and all the characters. I fell in love with Briar immediately, she seemed like the perfect match for Oliver. I am not necessarily a big fan of the lost memory trope, but I truly enjoyed it, especially with their backstory.

The dual timeline element/flashbacks work great. However, it took me a little while at the beginning of the book to fully understand and get into the flow.
The text message parts also worked great in the narration.

I will have to go back to read books 1 and 2.

I just finished My Dark Prince by L.J. Shen and Parker S. Huntington and I really enjoyed it! Think Sleeping Beauty, but make it dark and steamy. Briar wakes up with no memory, and her billionaire childhood friend, Oliver, takes advantage of the situation, convincing her they're about to get married. As Briar's memory starts to come back, she realizes Oliver's been playing her, and he's got some serious secrets.

I jumped into this one without reading the first two books in the series and while I wasn't lost or confused, I kinda wish I had read them because I get the feeling I missed out on some backstory. I'm definitely going back to read them now! Usually, I hate the miscommunication trope in books, but honestly, it totally worked here. It was a great way to slowly reveal Oliver and Briar's complicated past.

Narrators Christian Fox and Andi Arndt nailed the audio. They brought these characters to life, and the chemistry between them was on point. Told in dual narration, their narration made the story even better. If you're looking for a dark, sexy read with some serious tension, definitely check this one out!

Thank you Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the audiobook of this book. I voluntarily read and gave an honest review.