Darling Madness

by Rosemary A. Johns

The last time that I could be touched without flinching was five years ago, when my brother tried to burn me alive.

Now, Mom promises me a new life, billionaire stepdad, safety. And all on the mysterious, paradise island of Never. But it’s a lie. Never’s a nightmare of secrets and dangerous desires, a cover to hide an asylum for the most broken heirs of the super-rich elite.

Now, I’m one of them.

All I wanted was a chance at a normal life. But instead, I’m claimed as the Darling of the dark and ruthless men who run Never — my stepbrothers.

Peter, Shadow, and Pan.

They’re cold, wild, psychos.

I should run from and not towards them. They’re forbidden. Only, they’re as beautiful, as they’re damaged. And their scars match my own. When they swear to burn down the world to keep me safe, I finally have a chance to no longer fear the flames…or their touch.

Except, there’s more secrets to reveal. There’s a killer on the island. And he’s coming for me next.

If you fly to Never, you may never grow up…

Our darling. Our madness. Our Never.

Darling Madness is a contemporary reverse harem dark fairy tale reimagining of Peter Pan.

Genres: Dark, Why Choose, Romance, Dark Romance, Contemporary, Fantasy, Retellings

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 19, 2023

About the author

USA Today Bestselling Author of Addictive Romance

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Award-winning and #1 Amazon bestselling paranormal and romance author.

WINNER OF SILVER AWARD in National Wishing Shelf Book Awards.
Shortlisted in International Rubery Book Awards.
Winner in the IAN Book of the Year Awards: awarded Finalist

A music fanatic and anti-hero addict. Rosemary writes savage vampires, snarky demons, and epic battles. She's always been a rebel.

Discover enemies-to-lovers, swoonworthy book boyfriends, and shifters! Don't miss her steamy and action-packed REBEL series, including REBEL GODS, REBEL WEREWOLVES, and REBEL ACADEMY.

Reviews

[Leopardwolf · Rating 1 out of 5]

Madness is the right word

Confusing characters and story, jumbled and convoluted. Don't bother going to Never.

[Rae (semi-hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woah this was one of the better Peter Pan retellings I’ve read. (Peter Pan stories are a hit or miss for me and it’s almost always a miss so this made me happy!)

So, I’ll get the meh stuff outta the way first. This plot can be quite confusing. It was intricate which is what made it a fav of mine, but it was also hard to keep up with at times. Also, I noticed another reviewer mention this and thought it was spot on- the mental illness and disability rep felt like it was thrown in with no real character traits to back it. It just didn’t seem fully fleshed out or researched. But I did love that there was representation!

On to the fun stuff. Oh boy. The spice was spicyyyy! The FMC was such a boss babe. I loved her. She wasn’t annoying and made me root for her in every one of her decisions, she was that kinda character. The MMCs were soooo different and made me love them too. I swear it’s so rare for me to not lump all the men in a RH/WC novel together after I finish a book because I forgot their characters the moment I closed my kindle, but these guys were unique! I’ll be thinking about them for a while. Plus, Shadow has a special place in my heart 😊.

This is a fast paced novel but it’s interesting and hot and has a HEA. Def recommend it if you need something different. Please be mindful about the triggers though. This has a lot.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

When it comes to Rosemary A. Johns I'm probably a broken record. So far I've loved each and every book I've read by her. Mostly because she writes straight from the heart. All her books focus on emotions and on the relationship(s). I'm therefore always looking forward to the next book being released and this time even more because it's a Peter Pan retelling! I was therefore insanely happy that I managed to get an arc!

The moment I started reading I couldn't stop anymore. I read this entire book in one sitting. The very first chapter is already insanely intense, but by the end of that first chapter I had also somehow already grown attached to the heroine! And once we arrived in Neverland and were meeting Pan, Shadow and Peter it became only more and more interesting. Despite the fact that there is no actual supernatural or magical element in this entire book.

The most interesting part of this book are the characters. All these characters are unique and the world probably might put a label on them and they'd never really fit in. However, together they share an understanding that is the perfect base for a romance. These characters understand what they need, why need it and they all make sure that the other is as comfortable as possible. And that means they allow each other to be their beautiful selves.

And once they are allowed to be their beautiful selves, they also show how much power that gives. It changes the dynamic on the island and slowly they're gaining more control. The finale of the book is also incredibly clever. All the elements needed to give this book a happily ever after are introduced quite early, but it's only when all those elements are being brought together that the characters we've come to love find a way to keep the good and get rid of the bad.

I so hope this author will never ever stop writing!

[Viettley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ein Buch für wirklich niemanden.

Ich hab ja schon viel Schund gelesen, aber sowas ist mir noch nie untergekommen. Jeder Trope in Existenz wird ausgeschlachtet, es ist so unglaublich rancid und versucht dabei noch politically correct zu sein, während der main character quasi von heute auf morgen vier Brüder dated und das komplett ok ist und nicht einmal hinterfragt wird. Eigentlich verschwendete Müh, hier tatsächlich eine Review zu schreiben, aber bin richtig fertig obwohl ich ja wusste wie es sein würde. Ist es so offensive wie die einzige andere Dark Romance, die ich sonst angefasst habe (Very Bad Kings, meine Referenzen sind begrenzt, würde mich entschuldigen aber wofür denn)? Auf gar keinen Fall. Aber irgendwie schafft es das doch, noch schlechter zu sein. 3,84 Sterne, ich glaub es HACKT. Genuinely ZERO idea, wie das so viele 5 Sterne Bewertungen haben kann, wie es der Fall ist. Ich verstehe, dass ich auch nicht die Zielgruppe bin (then again: wer ist es???), aber mir fällts schwer, überhaupt zwei Sterne legitimieren zu können, selbst wenn ich mir richtig Mühe gebe. Naja ok

[Cali Mafiaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oohhhh my gosh I loved this book!!! It was freak’n everything!!! Aahhh the twists & turns.. I was hooked & couldn’t get enough of it!!!

Angela is such an amazing FMC!! I love her character so much!! Aahhhh & then her men🥵🥵🥵 love love love this book!! Sooo damn good!! Go freak’n read it!! 💚🖤

Aahhhh Such an amazing Dark Peter Pan Retelling!!!💚🖤

[Brit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy twists and turns! There were so many people that made me angry. I loved the twins, hook, and Peter. Poor Angela (Darling) had a terrible family and so did the boys. I'm glad Angela made it to Never with her men and I'm so glad they could eventually heal together in this HEA. There are some spots that could be triggering, so proceed with caution.

[Keysia⁷ Herondale 🍉 *kinda ia* · Rating 2 out of 5]

2024 first read

actual rating: 1.75 stars

this was definitely an experience. i’ve never read a harem book before, let alone a reverse harem one, and i expected it to be messier than it actually was. i really liked and appreciated the communication, and the premise was weird and interesting, and almost horror in its potency. i did not much enjoy the writing, and i think it would have flowed nicer as 3rd person pov, the pacing was also a bit too fast for the actions and intensity, but my biggest issue was honestly how close to incest this book was… like nothing sexual happens between the brothers themselves, so maybe i’m justa bit of a prude, or close-minded, but did they have to assist to so much of each other’s intimate moments?? idk, i think not.

despite these many hiccups, i still bought another book by this author and actually plan to read it at some point, so looking forward to that i guess??

[TheSugaredBookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good dark and twisty Peter Pan retelling!! Rosemary A. Johns created such a unique take on a classic story! It was unexpected and refreshing!! This is not the same story you grew up with. It's dark and spicy! Angela was sweet and loyal but still determined and fierce! Peter, Pan and Shadow were immediately lovable bad boys and you couldn't help but root for this group of characters. I also appreciated the representation for mental health. Definitely read this one! It's like a psychological thriller with spice, villains you hate and main characters you love!

[Book Addict · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow what a rollercoaster ride of a read this book was. As soon as I started I was completely enthralled and reading as quickly as I could. There was so many twists and turns and heartache in this book and I could feel it glowing from the pages. The MCs are just continually tormenting but the connection they all have is captivating and what makes this story. I honestly did not know how this book was going to end and I admit that I was surprised over and over as I read as I just did not see some of what come about. This book has it all….love, hate, steam, heartbreak, twists and turns, drama and torment. Definitely a book where you feel all the feelings.

[Justi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hard to read.

The constant bro and sis references killed the story line. Authors need to stop trying to sound hip and fresh and just let conversations flow in the story. It felt very forced. Not to mention much of the story didn't even make sense.

[Naurarwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is this a Peter Pan retelling, why yes it is. Is it fantastic, also yes! Angela has had it rough, tormented by her brother, who lies to her parents about her so they think she's a problem child. Things come to a head when Angela finally decides to escape, but he brother isn't letting her go that easily.

Five years later, her mother has remarried, her brother has been taken off somewhere to be 'treated' and after very little communication from her mother over the years, Angela has been invited to Never to meet her stepfather, James Never. A man she knows nothing about, and didn't even get invited to the wedding for.

But things change when she gets there, even on the journey she is warned about people going to Never and not leaving again. The relationship between Angela and her mother is hard, to the point she calls her by her first name instead of mom for pretty much the entire book. There is a slight surprise for Angela on the journey and that is the fact she not only has a stepfather but two stepbrothers as well, Pan and Shadow. And I adore them both, they are twins but with very different personalities. I love the fact that the author made Shadow neurodivergent, and the way Angela treated him when she realises. We also have Peter, the adopted child in the family. There are more but I'm going to keep those to myself but all the characters are equally amazing and unique.

As much as the situations in the story are hard, all the characters fight for what they want even if it means doing things they don't necessarily agree with or want to do. Thankfully that means things work out for them in the end and they get their dark and twisty HEA.

[Ashley Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great story. Peter Pan themed. But not your childhood Peter Pan. A dark and twisted tale of Peter Pan. Which of course is right up my alley. The darker and twisted the better. The author did a excellent job. What’s a girl to do when her brother is trying to kill her? Escape of course until said brother foils your plan. Now your free from him given a second chance with your mother. A new family and a spot at Never Academy. Your excited that you will have not one but two new brothers. They are twins. Your also nervous because of your last brother and what he did as done to you. When you arrive at Never island your confused. You’re own mother is mean to your new brothers. Your new stepdad is absence. There’s rules you have to follow and punishment if you don’t. There’s a dark secret about Never island. You form a bond with your twin brothers. Pan and Shadow are unique. You love them just they way they are. Your parents not so much. Then there’s Peter the professor at the academy. He just wants to protect you and the twins. You find out the truth about Never Island and Never Academy. You plot and plan with the boys to find away to take over Never Island. There’s a couple plot twists in here that I didn’t see coming but guessed right on what was going on. Never Island is Peter Pan themed. Will Angela who the boys named Darling survive Never Island? Will her and the boys take over Never Island? Check out the book to find out.

[Paula Sabol (Never Choose Fantasy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darling Madness by Rosemary A John's is a dark, reverse harem romance with a Peter Pan theme.  Angela is excited to attend a school for gifted students for free as her mother has remarried the billionaire that runs the school on a private Island. However as she arrives and meets her new step brothers and stepfather she becomes aware not all is as it seems. When she discovers she is trapped on the Island with her brother that tortured her and nearly killed her as a teen she realizes to late her greatest dream has become her greatest nightmare.  Will her newfound family help her to not only survive, but heal as well.

   I love retellings of Peter Pan, though this isn’t quite a retelling. I do love the references and inclusions of the story of Neverland.  This story is quite dark and I advise if there are topics you need to avoid to check at the content warnings before diving in.  There is abuse both past and present for many of the characters, violence, mental health issues, explicit sex, and taboo relationships.  The characters are fascinating and I love the inclusion of an asexual partner and how well it was written.  There is a lot of discussion of mental health and it was well written.  This story is filled with twists and surprises and a crazy ending I never saw coming.  It was dark and steamy but the relationships were so much more.  I loved the found family theme in this and how protective the characters were of one another.  

    I rated Darling Madness 5 out of 5 stars.  If you like dark dark reverse harems and themes of found family, dom/sub relationships,an asexual partner and mental health issues  you won't be able to put this book down.

[The_Book_Brat · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Reverse Harem
*Contemporary
*Multi-PoV
*Asylum-based
*Peter Pan retelling
*dark themes
*Broken families
*Brothers
*building harem (5)
*mid burn 🔥
*standalone
Superb retelling
I really enjoyed this book, I was not sure what to expect with an asylum based Peter Pan retelling but it was so good with interesting neurodiverse and mental health representations 😄
It follows Angela (Darling) who after suffering awfully under her brother’s hands which cause a divide in her family, os some years later offered the chance of a lifetime by her mother and her new husband Jim! An elite school that actually holds far too many secrets and lies, most certainly does not have the ‘pupils’ best interests at heart 😩😩
Her new stepbrothers Pan and Shadow offer to show her the ropes, and once her eyes are opened to how they’re really treated as family boy is it a shock (watch triggers) 😮😮 especially when she’s unsure whether the adopted brother Peter is friend or foe 😬 once they realise their kindred spirits and concoct a plan to save themselves and all the Lost Boys. Yet there’s a lot to overcome…you’re never really sure who is the enemy and who is there to help - especially with Hook! 😣 there’s sooo many clever twists in this book you just have to keep reading to find out what the connections are!
A well deserved but hard fought HEA here!

[Tasha Goulet · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's madness in here!

Darling Madness is unique twisted take on Peter Pan. Staring a sweet, but traumatized FMC, Angela. Her murderous older brother tried to burn her to death before pushing her out of her window. Years later she's reunited with her mother, who abandoned her after the attack, but now, after she's remarried, wants to reunite her daughter. Lured in with big promises, Angela gets to the island, where she introduced to her new stepbrothers, Pan and Shadow (the twins), and Peter (the director's adopted son). James, the director of Never Island is her new stepfather, and she quickly learns that not everything is what she was lead to believe. Never Island houses a mental facility and people come to the island but never leave.

This RH telling of Peter Pan had a lot of surprises and trauma with all of the characters. I loved that things came up that you didn't see coming. I liked how Shadow's character is different and how Angela is so tuned in with him. I mean...all of her guys have their struggles but Shadow needs a little extra care and attention in a different way.

This was a very interesting read and involves some very interesting characters.

[Holly Rife · Rating 5 out of 5]

A reverse harem with oodles of spice with twists and turns, found family, and heartwarming moments throughout the whole book that made me melt??? Sign me up!!

This 'Peter Pan' retelling was superbly done. It's dark and beautiful. Angela has had a terrible childhood and unfortunately it doesn't get easier when she is 'invited' to Never - an island. It turns out to be an asylum. There are many fears and obstacles to deal with on the island, including her stepdad and mother. She meets her step brothers, Peter, Pan, and Shadow. She was the catalyst between them and everything made sense together. The sparks just flew and I loved it!!! She learns so much about herself and they grow together while traversing the challenges of the island. I loved watching Angela's character path as she grew out of her pain and I found that mesmerizing.

This is Book 1 of 'The Lost Boys of Never.' I can't wait to see what's in store for these characters in the next story!!

[Tara Syrnyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not read a lot of this authour and so I wasn’t too sure how it would go, but wow this was quite the read! A very different and loosely connected story to Peter Pan , I was intrigued and quickly immersed in the story. I loved how this authour put such a creative twist on a well known story. I really enjoyed getting to know these characters. They were very unique with in-depth back stories that tore at my heart. Watching these characters grow, heal and develop in their relationships was such a treat. These characters have been through so much and the author did a great job portraying their emotions. These characters had me laughing, crying and rooting for them ! I loved the little plot twist and unexpected characters, the steam, the drama and mystery hovering over them all. Overall this was a really entertaining read, it flowed well and moved at a quick but comfortable pace. I will definitely be reading more from this authour!

[MissPenelopewrites · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just read Darling Madness. This book was absolutely epic. I can't believe I read it all in one night. I had to take a nap because I was so exhausted. This was an emotional rollercoaster ride that I cannot explain other than holy crap. I will do a tick-tock video about this and tag you. But right now, my hair is a greasy and a messy bun on top of my head, and I'm in my pajamas. No makeup, glasses. I am shook. I've read all of yours; I have them in my library. I love all of your work. If you write it, I will read it. Every time. I wish I could get an Arc copy of Puck and her Blades. I love hockey romances, and this is going to be so good. I can guarantee it. I think my favorite character in the whole book had to have been Pan. He was so he was flawed, and I was there for it. Talk about plot twists. Holy crap. When I read that, I lost my mind. Right now, I'm doing this paragraph with a voice composer because I can't even type as fast as my brain is going. After all, I am so shaken. Which is why there are so many grammatical errors. I tried to give this a review once I finished it on Kindle Unlimited, but my fingers were so awkward on my iPad that it wouldn't let me do it. I am floored by how great this book was. I'll be putting this in a goodreads review. Absolutely. I will be doing a tick-tock video about this. You are amazing, and I adore you. Great job.

[Libby Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing read and a lovely ending! There are so many shocks in this book.
It is a dark Peter Pan retelling story.
It follows Angela who has a dark past with her psycho brother burning her and her parents not believing her. So years later when her mom gets in touch with her after not hearing from her in years and her mom inviting her to live with her and her new husband on an island and enrolling her into an academy, she thinks things are looking up and that her mom has changed. But it’s not till she gets there that she realises that things aren’t what she thought and it’s not some lovely island and loving family but luckily for her she has amazing step brothers. They look out for each other and they fall for each other.
Overall an amazing read with twists and turns!

[Ange Bennetts · Rating 5 out of 5]

These boys are broken and damaged, lost to the island of Never and its many predators. Their Darling arrives, niave and expecting to find a place to nurture her talents, instead she is plunged into her darkest nightmare with her only light being the twins and Peter. Turning the beloved classic into a dark, contemporary RH, was an absolute master-stroke. I loved these characters and their quirks, while slowly unpeeling the story with tension and thrills. I loved that this was a standalone tale and that the story is wrapped up by the end. Truly unique retelling that will have you searching for your own Peter Pan.

[Lexi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is a twisted and creepy Peter Pan retelling. Angela is our FMC who’s so strong. She’s had to deal with so many dark difficult things yet she hasn’t allowed to break her. She gets an invite from her mother to never island but things aren’t as they seem here. There are dark secrets hidden here that will need to come to the light. As the story continues we descend deeper and deeper into madness. There are some pretty spicy moments throughout the insanity. It’s a really good story which kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. There are some very dark psychological things in the story and some great twists. I didn’t want to put the story down because I needed to know what would come next.

[thenerdybookworm_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darling Madness is an intriguing and dark take on Peter Pan. There’s an intricate plot and the twists in this book will definitely hook you until the end.

A dark secret shrouds Never island and things are not what they seem, something that Angela (Darling) will discover….

After suffering at the hands of her brother, Angela is looking forward to the fresh start on Never Island. Meeting Pan, Shadow, & Peter opens her eyes to the truth surrounding the island and the horrors within.

Oh boy! This story is full of trauma, heartbreak, suspense, spice, and truth. The sparks flew between her and the guys. I loved their dynamic and watching everything unfold.

[Mikie Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

wild, wild ride

This is a Peter Pan dark retelling. It is action packed, spicy and tragic all at the same time. Angela is that FMC that we didn’t know we needed. Her father abandoned her, and her brother tried to burn her alive. So to say she has childhood trauma is an understatement. She just wants to do what she loves, signing, but then her mother remarries and now her new stepfather whisked her away to an academy. Not how she sees her live going. But that is where her life takes a turn she never expected. Now Never is waiting for her and she has an adventure ahead of her with some sexy as sin men!

[Dominique · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darling Madness is a dark Peter Pan retelling that kept me hooked from the first chapter. Angela is thrown into a rather wild situation when her mother invites her to an island for what she thought was a paid college education but boy was she wrong. There is a major emphasis on mental health so be aware of possible triggers. The touch of suspense, heartfelt moments, and some rather steamy scenes throughout made for a wonderful standalone. The storyline is easy to follow and the characters were so easy to love. I honestly enjoyed every moment of reading this book, I just couldn’t put it down!

[Laura Beltran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Dark Retelling.

This is such an amazing and dark Peter Pan retelling. I was hooked right from the start, drawn in and couldn't put it down until the end. Angela is such a strong FMC despite the trauma in her past. Her men are so wonderfully dark and they are broken too. They are all so good for each other. There is spice and a lot of twists . Rosemary A Johns does such a great job with these characters and making you feel their emotions. I highly recommend this book.

[Madeleine Booth-Smits · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what an intense ride!! I could not put this book down and read it in one sitting. The twists and turns I totally didn't see them coming but boy did I enjoy them! There were so many moments I held my breath and couldn't seem to be able to catch it again. What a powerful story of love and forgiveness. I adore Rosemary's books and she has completely outdone herself with this one!! Absolutely one of my favourite books of the year.

[Taylor Loewe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this in one sitting. Literally walking down crowded halls while reading on my tablet because I was so addicted!

Spice: 2.5/5

The whole Neverland thing was pulled off so well! Enemies matched up in such perfect ways. The characters personalities embodied the other fictional characters in ways that I couldn’t have planned better myself had I dissected the original story in all its variations.

Our FMC has a tragic back story and just wants love and acceptance. After being misled to an essential imprisonment she finally finds her place with men who WORSHIP her. How she works so smoothly with each guy and the way their relationships coincide with each other is just magic.

Highly recommend! You’ll need to section off time though because you’ll be hooked (hehe punny)

[Chrystina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, loved it!

I can’t even begin to say how much I loved this book. I couldn’t even put it down, hence the review at 1:17 am. It is incredible how so much was flawlessly packed into just one book. While I wish I could get to know even more about each of the Never boys, that is only because I don’t think I could ever get enough of them. Especially Shadow. I am so very grateful for his character!!!

[Rachel Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Peter Pan inspired story and I'm all here for the dark and twisted fairytale retelling. I loved the adaptation of the fairytale aspects but adding them into a different story that gives it a more fantasy feel. The characters were fantastic and I really enjoyed the RH model. The plot was great and held my attention right through the book. It was a fun read and I love the way the author gives us those twists and turns that took me by surprise. Fantastic book! Can't wait to see what's next!

[Mona Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darling Madness

Oh my.... never has a title fit a story more perfectly than this. This retelling of Peter Pan is definitely darker than average and parts of it will make you want to throw your kindle, but stick with it, because Never has many, many secrets that you need to uncover. I couldn't stop reading. The twists and turns inside will blow your mind. A couple I thought were coming, and one just bam .....