Getty | Iuliia Bondar Getty | Iuliia Bondar

If you're a reader of romantasy , even a casual one, you're familiar with this character. He's a particular type of enemies-to-lovers male love interest: a morally gray bad boy with a heart of gold, deadly to his enemies but sweet to his lover. He's the type to ask, " Who did this to you?! " He's tall, dark, and handsome. He might be a fae, a god, a vampire, or some other kind of supernatural creature. Most importantly, he has the power to wield shadows. What more could a beautiful (though she doesn't realize it) 18-to-22-year-old heroine want?

This archetype has been lovingly nicknamed the "shadow daddy," and he's everywhere. In particular, he spent considerable time at the top of the New York Times bestseller list in the form of X

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