This story may have started out its life as fan fiction but do not let that turn you off - Bad Romeo is a captivating novel about first love, heartbreak and redemption. Told in a mixture of present day interludes and flash backs from the past, Bad Romeo manages to perfectly capture Cassie Taylor and Ethan Holt's romantic history. 
 Cassie hasn't spoken to Ethan in the three years since he broke her heart. But when they both get cast as the leads in a new Broadway play, Cassie has no choice but to be professional. Present day Cassie wants nothing to do with Ethan and if this play wasn't her big Broadway break - she'd quit just to get away from him. But Ethan wants more than a working relationship with Cassie - he wants to fix what he broke. Mixed though their current predicament is the story of how they met. A college romance between the good girl and the bad boy who was as romantic and passionate as it was destructive. Much like Romeo and Juliet, the relationship between Cassie and Ethan seemed destined to be epic and to end in heartbreak. With all the damage done and trust betrayed will these two be able to overcome their history to make a future or will it be lights out for these broken-hearted lovers? 
 I was not prepared to enjoy Bad Romeo as much as I did. I was drawn into Cassie and Ethan's dysfunctional romance almost instantly and could not wait to see how everything lead them to their present day situation. The chemistry between the two is evident from their first exchange of glances at their drama school audition and sparks flew every time they shared the scene. They are a couple I was rooting for especially considering as a reader we know they aren't together from the first page. Their doomed college romance was a pleasure to read as it developed - and ultimately ended. The journey as we followed their relationship though the flashbacks and the present day interactions was well-written. There was never any confusion about when or where the action was taking place. 
 Bad Romeo is as funny as it is sexy. The banter between the leads is delightful and playful with some scenes being steamy and the antics in others being borderline hysterical. Cassie's blunt honesty is slightly confronting at times but perfectly fits her character. Her diary entries show how progressive she is and how she's not afraid of the unknown. I loved how she took on a more sexually aggressive role compared to most novels with virgin heroines. Her determination to embrace her sexual relationship with Ethan was well written and well handled. Ethan's brooding hero role was well done with him appearing somewhat tortured and damaged yet not predictably stereotypical. 
 The plot development is great and I loved the direction the novel took. Bad Romeo is a great take on a relationship gone bad whilst also showing a beautiful story of two opposites falling in love. The romance is addictive and the characters interesting. This novel works perfectly as a standalone but I have to admit - after reading Bad Romeo, I'm craving the release of Broken Juliet which is scheduled to be released in May 2015. 
 Many thanks to Pan Macmillan Australia for the review copy.