This book had been floating around my TBR for a while, so when I saw it was available, I decided it was time.

The first part of this book is so funny and spicy. Basically, Hades x Persephone x contemporary romance. I love the idea of the gods wanting to go out and mingle and even have jobs. I really enjoyed how other gods were worked into the story. The third act conflict felt like it dragged a bit, but I can't wait to see what will happen after that ending!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an egalley of this book for an honest review.

I'm sad that this is the first title I'm reviewing on my NetGalley venture, but here we are.

I could not for the life of me tell you what the plot was to this story. It had promise to build a good plotline but was cut short by smut being thrown in left and right. Don't get me wrong, I love me some spice, but this just got repetitive to the point I found myself skimming over just to be done with it. And the endless miscommunication made me want to scream into my Kindle.

Overall, it felt like this was a retelling of existing retellings but done badly. I was drawn in by the pretty cover and my love for Hades and Persephone, but was sorely disappointed. Would not bother with the rest of the series.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc.

As an avid fan of the timeless tale of Hades and Persephone, I'm always eager to dive into any retelling or reimagining of their story. So naturally, when I stumbled upon this book, I was immediately intrigued. The modern-day setting provided a refreshing twist to the classic myth, and I found myself drawn into the world the author had created.

The chemistry between the characters crackled with intensity, and the steamy moments left me eagerly turning the pages for more. However, despite the undeniable heat between them, I couldn't shake the feeling that their relationship could have been fleshed out more. It felt like there were layers to their connection that remained unexplored, leaving me yearning for a deeper dive into their emotional bond.

That being said, I still found the book to be an interesting and enjoyable read. The modern-day adaptation brought a fresh perspective to the timeless tale, and the author's skillful storytelling kept me engaged from start to finish. While I may have wished for a bit more depth in certain areas, overall, I was captivated by the chemistry and allure of Hades and Persephone's tumultuous romance.

I received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

So disappointing! I was so looking forward to this book when I read the blurb. I am a huge fan of Hades and Persephone romances and the idea of it being set in modern day was really interesting. Unfortunately, the characters and the plot fell short. Persephone was flighty and annoying. Hades was also flighty and bossy. Persephone for some reason would not break up with a guy she had no interest in and Hades would claim they wouldn’t be anything until she was single only to turn around and show up at her house to make out with her. It was so frustrating. I’m really disappointed because I requested the rest of the series and now have no desire to read them.

Wow very spicy. I cant wait to read the rest of the series. I love Hades and Persephone retellings so this was a fun one to pick up. I enjoyed the little changes of the only gods/goddesses being related were Hades, Zeus, and Posideon. The ending was such a cliff hanger that I can’t wait to devour the next.

I loved this book so much that I asked my husband to listen to it, and bought him the audio book. He fell in love with it as well. I absolutely can't wait to read the rest of this series.
I compare all Hades and Persephone books to this book now, and so far, none compare.
This take on Hades and Persephone keeps you hooked the entire time.
It makes you fall in love and hate the characters the whole time.
The FMC is a baddie and I would follow her into the ends of the earth if I were Hades 😂
And Hades, holy gods…. He is the perfect MMC.
It’s spicy, and amazing.

Its a Hades and Persephone retelling with lots of spice. While there isn't a ton to the plot and the characters were a bit bland, the smut factor was there. If you want a quick read with some spice, this is a decent pick.

I will be honest, I don't often read a lot of smutty romances, I prefer them in small doses.
That said, I do enjoy retellings, and this is a modern retelling of Hades and Persephone.

I quite liked this book, although I felt at times, it was more about the sex and passion between Hades and Persephone, than about the actual storyline, At times, it came across as a bit repetitive, I was intrigued about Persephone's upbringing, and was keen to learn more about the way her mother (Demeter) raised and treated her.

Overall, I didn't mind the book, and I enjoyed it enough to continue the series :)

I picked and put down this book to too many times. I was frustrated with the writing style, it felt like it was written for watt-pad. The whole bank situation at the beginning was comical to me, I tried to see what the authors were trying to do with a modern re-imaging of Hades & Persephone's love story but it was such a let down. I wanted to love to love this book because I love any type of retellings on Hades & Persephone but this did NOT make the cut.

The conversations between the adults felt like immature, the FMC is extremely whinny and I understand she is sheltered but she contradicts herself all the time.

Over all, I am forever an opportunist of second chances will be reading book 2 to see if the reading style evolved drastically.

A delight. I’m not usually fond of fated mates or miscommunication but the way both were written had me staying up until dawn every day to read more.
I loved how open the characters were with communication (eventually) even when neither of them could say everything completely.
It will be interesting to see Persephone accept more of her darkness and lean into it fully as the story goes on. I can’t wait to read the next one

(Plus I loved Mellie and Helios).

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book as an ARC.

3.5/5

A modern-day Hades and Persephone retelling!! And I am always down to read a Hades and Persephone retelling, I love them so much. This one takes at the company Hades owns, where Persephone gets a job because the God Tax drained her band account. And, of course, she wants out from under her mother’s thumb. Hades and Persephone are trying to avoid the prophecy that says they will be together but that whole avoiding thing doesn’t work out too well for them.

AND IT’S ILLUSTRATED!
AND THERE’S SHADOW MAGIC! These are both major selling points.

I just wish Hades and Persephone were a bit different, it seems like they have the same personality and that made some aspects of their relationship and interactions feel a bit flat. But oh my goodness, her ex is such a toe. Good riddance!

I do wish that there was a bit more action and a bit more to the plot of this book - just to give it a lil more oomph. And then it would be an easy 4 stars!

I love when characters/creatures have a “true form” or some type of alternate form, I always think that’s such a cool tool to use within the story. The vulnerability of it and sharing it with others is something that we get to see in this book - and I love that.

I love Mellie and Helios! I think that storyline/relationship is so fun, especially in those text threads where Persephone is taking to both of them at the same time. I hope we get more of them in future books.

This was a fun and quick read, I finished it in less than two days. This book definitely reminded me of A Touch of Darkness, so if you enjoyed that, I would definitely recommend checking this out.

Thanks to NetGalley for the book!

Thank you for the ARC in return for an honest review!

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2,75 stars - I’ve been excited to read this for so long, but unfortunately this just wasn’t for me.

The writing had to grow on me before it started somewhat flowing, it’s very modern and casual, but unfortunately I never started actually enjoying it. If anything, it just got worse as my annoyance with it grew. It also felt like the story was severely lacking an actual plot, beyond the main character’s constantly going back and forth with miscommunications and refusing to fully go through with any decisions they made, and the vibes weren’t enough to carry the lack of plot. Any potentially interesting plot threads seemed to be either ignored, put off or instantly resolved with no effort.

I enjoyed how messy the gods and their politics were, and I wish we had gotten more of that in this book. The side characters all seemed interesting, and I would’ve liked to see them more involved in the story and to learn more about them.

Both the main characters were incredibly frustrating to me, with Persephone being wishy washy and Hades often reading a bit pathetic (without the required quirkiness to endear him to me). Other than both of them being insecure workaholics I couldn’t tell you anything about them.

The only real saving grace was how short the chapters were, so it felt like I was moving at a relatively fast pace - even if the plot wasn’t.
I won’t be continuing the series.

Romance usually isn’t my wheelhouse, but I dabble occasionally. I’m also a huge fan of myths, legends, and lore. So, when I came across this series, I figured I’d give it a shot. It was not quite what I was expecting. Though I do appreciate that there is at least an attempt made to stress the consensual nature of their relationship, this Hades and Persephone retelling left much to desired in the way of plot and character development. This is smut for smut’s sake; pure and simple. Some scenes and aspects seem like they were ripped straight out of the famous graphic novel series ‘Lore, Olympus’…with less substance. Great for anyone that enjoyed the 50 Shades series. I was hoping for more developed drama. I got the whole series on a while, so here’s to hoping the writing gets better.

*ARC received from Netgalley - all opinions are my own*

TLDR: If you’re looking for a HadesxPersephone retelling that’s all spice with a tiny dash of plot, then this might be the book for you. Just be mindful that both characters have terrible communication skills and, Hades especially, is written in a very childish way.

Definitely not my favourite retelling as I tend to like my books, even the spicy ones, with at least a half decent plot with some substance attached. This reads as a pretty generic office romance with a hint of greek gods.

We only really get to see Hades and Persephone despite the first half of the book showing quite a bit of Helios and Melinoe which was a nice break but becomes very clear that their appearance at the start is just to kick of a book about them which was pretty annoying as it was nice to see both our main characters interacting with other people and the world around them.

In retellings I’m used to seeing Persephone often portrayed as a bit of a bratty character or being the more immature in the relationship but both Hades and Persephone were heard to stand at many points in the story. This made Hades hard to read in particular as you just expect so much more from his character and, at points, he is written as a more serious and melancholy character before going back to being whiny and childish. Both characters definitely could have benefited from some mature writing.

My review is conflicted as there are definitely good bits of writing throughout The Maiden and The Unseen, the character writing just hinders it so much. I think it’s best suited for those that are mainly just here for the spice and smut and can easily read without expecting too much from the plot/ characters.

Thank you to Rose and Star Publishing LCC and Netgalley for this digital copy!

I love Greek mythology, in particular Hades and Persephone retellings. This is slightly different than the typical Hades and Persephone retellings which makes it stand out from the rest (and I've read quite a few retellings). There were just lines in this book that made me crack up laughing, in particular, Persephone's line about Hades potentially having hay fever.

Overall, I had a very enjoyable time with this book. There were a few things I wish it had more of like more world-building and more of Mellie and Helios (but maybe we'll get more of both in the next book).

Didn’t know what to expect from this book as sometimes retellings can miss the mark. But this book didn’t miss.
A lot of spicy content between the main characters. They could not keep their hands off each other.
Both the MMC and FMC really lacked confidence when it came to their relationship.
I’m gutted it ended on a cliffhanger as I want to know where the hell Hades is?!
Also need more Mellie and Helios content ASAP!

I'm on the fence on this iteration of the Hades and Persephone myth. Yes, i understand it's loosely based on thevstory, but I struggled at times getting to it. In addition, at 70+ chapters, the book seemed to drag on and on. I know its partnof a series and the length of the book makes for a shorter overall series; however, to have a cliffhanger at the end of this very long book serms weird. I did enjoy the book in parts, but feel it could have been shorter. The world building was good and I liked the modern nature of the study. Overall, it was a decent read and I applaud the author for telling a story that has been so often repeated.

I was excited about reading this retelling of Hades and Persephone story and I LOVED the book cover (it felt very romantic, if I had to rate the book just based by it it would definitely be a 10!!).
As we all know, Persephone and Hades retellings can be either amazing or the complete opposite. This one in my opinion was just meh…
It was just constant smut and there was not much of a plot, this made the book feel so incredibly long because it often felt like it kept repeating the same stuff over and over. Also the smut was a bit too cringy for me, I had to skip almost half the book…

It was more smut than plot and I suppose some readers may enjoy that but ultimately this book was not for me at all, I would have loved a more developed story…

Here’s the story summed up

Persephone, serving as the social media manager, finds herself in a financial predicament after Hades, the deity associated with wealth, orchestrates a scheme targeting a god who has trespassed into the human realm. Though the narrative lacks a clear explanation, it remains uncertain if Persephone's unauthorized entry is significant.
However, the focal point shifts to her burgeoning romantic entanglement with Hades, despite being in a relationship with someone else who believes they are exclusive. The tension escalates as her partner's concerns are dismissed, overshadowed by Persephone's perception of their relationship status.

So, all in all, I was quite disappointed in this one, but perhaps someone who doesn't care about a storyline would enjoy it!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for kindly sharing this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

The Maiden & The Unseen by Jeanette Rose & Alexis Rune is a captivating book that tells the story of Hades, the god of the dead, and Persephone, the goddess of spring. The authors have done an excellent job of bringing these characters to life and making them relatable to the readers.

In this book, Zeus has allowed the gods to leave Olympus and live among the mortals, and Hades is put in charge of helping the gods assimilate into the mortal world. Persephone has been living among the mortals for the last two years, following her mother's strict rules. However, fate has other plans for Hades and Persephone, and they find themselves drawn to each other despite the rules.

The authors have created a unique and exciting world that blends mythology with the modern world. The characters are well-developed, and their personalities and struggles are relatable. The story is well-paced, and the plot twists keep the readers engaged.

Overall, The Maiden & The Unseen is a must-read for anyone who enjoys romance, mythology, and fantasy. The book is beautifully written, and the characters are engaging and memorable. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating read.

I've found exactly what I was looking for in this Hades & Persephone retelling:

- A focus on the legendary couple with a few delightful twists on the classic tale.
- A storyline that's engaging yet light, perfect for those who prefer romance over high stakes.
- Fast pacing that makes it an easy and enjoyable read.
- Good spice to keep things interesting (a lot of it).

While this retelling doesn't radically alter the well-known narrative, it introduces enough fresh elements to keep it engaging and unique. If you enjoy stories centred on character interactions and romantic development, you'll likely enjoy this book.

However, if you're seeking a plot-heavy read, this might not be the pick for you. As the first book in the series, it focuses primarily on establishing the relationship between Hades and Persephone, setting the stage for potential plot expansion in future books.

For those intrigued by a romantic tale with a mythological twist, this is a promising start. I’m looking forward to seeing how the story evolves in the next installment!