Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy this ARC.

This is Isabella Kamal's debut novel.

I'll start my saying I enjoyed her prose and writing style.

However, I wasn't a big fan of either character or the pace of the plot. Persephone felt like she wasn't as beautiful as her sister and Aden was absorbed with running his father's business and it felt like that was all there was to know about them.

I also found the constant interruptions whenever they kissed or were alone to be extremely frustrating. Not only because they happened every single time but also because they never served to increase the tension between the characters. They would kiss and then the story would skip to a few days later.

3.25 stars

Overall, this is an enjoyable story. The writing is very good and I look forward to seeing this author grow with each book.

There are a few points where the story feels a bit jumpy and the characters lack a bit of cohesion, but all in all it was an enjoyable read.

I look forward to more books from Ms. Kamal!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Charming and delicious! This regency romance is a (loose) retelling the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone.

It's warm and wise, and meanders to a happy ending for these two lovely people. Aidon is the principal of a firm offering funeral services to the well-to-do in London. He's also emotionally cut off by the cruelty and neglect of his dead father. A former rake, he hasn't been able to get out of this father's shadow, or away from his expectations. Enter Persephone, who also has a problematic relationship with her own father and chooses marriage to Aidon, with all his secrets, as an escape from gossip and her stultifying home life.

It's steamy, there's lots of yearning and pining, and they have to build trust together. There's some lovely friends, village gossip, a bit of matchmaking, plenty of detail about their lives and a satisfactory resolution of Aidon's secrets.

It's a gentle and satisfying read from a thoughtful debut author - recommended! Oh and the cover is gorgeous too :)

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC. Rounded up to four stars.

This book was so unexpectedly good!!! Okay one thing right away I’d like to clear up- I don’t consider this a Hades x Persephone retelling and to be honest this could be my own ignorance but I don’t understand the significance of the “temple” part of the title. The lore of Hades is mentioned in this but it’s more of a tongue in cheek joke in society and eventually between the two characters. I personally liked how it was tied in at the end but it’s really not so much the plot, only in a meta way I guess.

Okay this romance. Normally I dislike historical romances in which a woman is caught with a man and then is “ruined” I hate being reminding of historical misogyny. But the way this plot point was used was in a pretty low pressure situation, they were in the countryside, not in high London society, and they were both okay with it. These are two main characters who have had to solely lean on themselves and no one else and it was so precious that based on their initial chemistry they thought we don’t we try something new and lean on each other.

The way their relationship developed was just chefs kiss. I loved their tentative mutual attraction and how respectful the MMC was toward intimacy. There are minor misunderstandings but they aren’t fully driving the plot.

The spice is wonderful once you make it through the bit of slow burn. It was all so cute until all the sudden MMC is saying hold on to the headboard. Excuse me?! They are just so perfect for each other. He’s a reformed rake but it’s kind of fun cause he brings back some of those aspects but only for her. Another thing I normally dislike in historicals is that imbalance but it works in this book cause it’s been so long for him.

There are other side characters and side plots that were also surprisingly intense. This book ended up covering a lot but at the heart of it was an incredible romance and partners who see each other as equals. Thank you to Blackstone for this eARC!

Persephone Honeyfield is twenty-seven and resigned to spinsterhood as a permanent fixture of her father’s estate in the rural English countryside. But fate has made other plans, and Persephone soon finds herself in a compromising situation with neighboring estate owner, Aidon Barrington. Reformed rake and owner of the most exclusive funerary services firm in London, Aidon has been christened “Lord of the Dead” by the scandal sheets. Persephone initially dismisses the gossip as ridiculous, and agrees to accept Aidon’s offer of marriage to preserve her reputation. But after being safely ensconced in her new home at Aidon’s manor, Gallowsgate, Persephone is alarmed to discover that her serious but attentive new husband is harboring dark secrets that threaten to destroy their blossoming romance.

Within the few first pages, I could immediately see why this author was signed. Her voice is absolutely suited to the historical romance genre. Her prose is gentle and measured, the pacing is even, the tone is airy with a whimsical quality. She hits all of the notes that a charming historical romance should have, like elegance, comportment, longing, repression, and sexual tension. I loved the way that the author incorporated consent into the story, which empowered Persephone to chart the course of her and Aidon's sexual relationship. The book is sex positive, which is always refreshing to see in a hist-rom.

Unfortunately, there is just not enough story here to justify a full-length novel. As is, I think this would have worked much better as a novella because Aidon and Persephone’s story, as written, is not complex. The secrets Aidon is keeping aren't earth shattering or particularly interesting, nor do they require much resolution to facilitate his and Persephone's HEA.

We are told that there are a lot of things in Persephone and Aidon’s pasts that inform the choices they make as adults, but we aren’t shown any of it. There are no flashbacks, or even any dialogue between any of the characters that would give us a solid frame of reference for Persephone’s persistent and lifelong insecurity, or Aidon’s compulsion to prove himself a man after his father’s death.

As a result, I was never fully invested in the main characters' internal or interpersonal conflicts. By 50%, I realized that Aidon and Persephone are just not that interesting as people. Aidon is boring, Persephone is insecure. We never seem to get past those two aspects of their characters. To some extent, I really have to look at the editor on this one. It is the editor’s responsibility to facilitate story development, plug the holes, tighten the narrative, and put the focus where it needs to be when it comes to the romance arc and the major themes. I actually felt a little frustrated at times while reading, as I think that under a better editor’s guidance, this could have been a 4-star read based on the author’s writing ability and style.

The characters that I want to know more about are the ones that have real stuff going on in their lives. Ezra and Christianna: mild-mannered and innocent for all to see, but behind closed doors they both make radical choices for the time. And Cassius, who is written like a real human person fighting serious demons as opposed to the “I’m emotionally scarred so all I do is work like an automaton even though I hate my job” Aidon.

I will be watching for the next book from this author because I believe she does have potential as she perfects her craft, and given the opportunity to work with an experienced editor who has story development skills.

Tropes: Regency romance, forced marriage, slow burn, insta-love, spinster, brooding hero, fated mates

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.

While the book is undoubtedly fun and entertaining, it also delves into deeper and more serious topics which is quite refreshing and certainly adds some level of depth to the story; making it more relatable and thought-provoking.

This was a light read for those interested in regency romances and Greek mythology. The characters are loosely based upon Persephone and Hades. While the concept was intriguing, the climax didn't land for me. The romance is sweet and it is worth a read, but I wouldn't go into it with super high expectations.

A nice mix of regency and Greek myth. The conflict was so-so - Aidon's deep, dark secret wasn't really deep or dark. Not my favorite historical, but a enjoyable read.

Regency romance and Greek mythology? I’m in! The Temple of Persephone reminded me how much I enjoy historical romance. It was a great story with lovely characters and some spicy scenes. I had a really hard time putting the book down because I just wanted to keep reading about Persephone and Aidon. I already can’t wait for the author’s next book!

This book is about Persephone Honeyfield who lives a quiet live in the countryside with her younger sister Venus and their father who keeps bees. She would love to get away from the tediousness and gossip but at 27 years old she’s ready to settle into spinsterhood. Until she meets Aidon Barrington, who is known as the Lord of the Dead in London, and finds herself into a compromised postion with him by accident. To save herself from the scandal and to make sure her sister isn’t ruined by association, Penelope and Aidon agree to marry each other.

I really loved both Persephone and Aidon as characters on their own but also when they were together. Aidon could maybe be a little too broody for my tastes but I understand why he came to be that way. I really liked seeing their relationship grow as they go from a marriage of convenience to falling in love slowly but surely and discovering it all together. There were also some really good spicy scenes that I loved! There were some similarities between the myth of Persephone and Hades in contrast to this book’s Persephone and Aiden, which I, of course, adored. It wasn’t a direct retelling but there were some aspects of it.

The story was maybe a bit too light on the plot. Especially with the secret Aidon was keeping. I didn’t find it too shocking, personally, when it was all finally revealed and I didn’t really get why Aidon made such a big secret about it. But in the end I read historical romances for the romance part and that definitely didn’t disappoint me. I also hope we can expect Venus’ story next. Fingers crossed!

Regency romance meets Greek mythology? Count me in! The story was fantastic, featuring charming characters and some steamy scenes that kept things interesting. I struggled to put the book down because I just needed more of Persephone and Aidon.

However, the plot felt a bit on the lighter side, especially with Aidon's secret. When it was finally spilled, I personally didn't find it too shocking, and I couldn't quite grasp why Aidon made such a big deal out of it. But hey, when it comes to historical romances, I'm here for the romance, and on that front, this book absolutely delivered!

This is an enjoyable historical romance with a mythical base. Persephone’s marital prospects are bleak due to her failure to fit societal norms for a young woman. She is free spirited and nature loving. When visiting the neighboring estate, Gallowsgate, she meets the owner, Aidon Barrington. He is called the Lord of Death by London society because of his lucrative family undertaking business and perhaps for other , darker reasons as well. He also is in need of a wife.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an eGalley of this title.

The Temple of Persephone is a delightful blend of Greek mythology and Regency romance. As a historical romance debut, the author did an excellent job of providing an engaging and captivating story to her readers.

The characters of Persephone and Aidon were a fantastic match, and their relationship progressed naturally and steadily, which I loved. They were perfect for each other. The subplots involving other characters brought depth to the story and added more life to the main characters' relationship.

However, the one downside of the book was the storyline behind why Aidon was called the Lord of the Dead. When the full secret was revealed, it was a disappointment and a letdown for me.

I got this ARC from @netgalley and I’m honestly SUCH a sucker for Persephone/Hades retellings. A solid 3.5 in my oh so humble opinion - I’m usually not into books set in the 1800s because I honestly just think they’re boring. This book started off that way to me and I was worried I was going to be let down, but that clearly wasn’t the case. The slow burn & buildup had me really wanting to read more and more, the feisty bits of Persephone had me chuckling, and I’m a sucker for a man who burdens/isolates himself but has a kind heart. There were a couple of side plots/stories I didn’t care for but I also understood why they were in the story in the way they were. Definitely a fun read and with a different take on the hades/persephone retelling that I hadn’t read before!

The Temple of Persephone by Isabella Kamal evidences evocative writing and a unique premise. While Hades and Persephone retellings are not uncommon, I've never read one that called back so directly to the original tale and that used the mythology through so much of the plot's throughline. Aside from that inspiration, the characters also felt very reminiscent of our cast from Pride and Prejudice - a surly (but largely just misunderstood) male main character, a hoydenish female main character aging into spinsterhood (in her mid-20s) in the countryside with an elderly, doting (but distant) father, and a secondary romance between two sunshine characters who fall immediately and hopelessly in love.

Despite all the familiar beats in this romance (marriage of convenience is usually a favorite set-up for me!), I struggled to feel the chemistry between the two main characters and wished for more on-page tension between them through the first half of the book. This is a very introspective book, with most page-space devoted to inner monologue, and there were moments I wanted more interaction between characters, more showing and less telling, more push and pull between them. The secondary plot - and the primary cause of tension between our main characters - felt like it was carrying too much in the final act, as I struggled to imagine the back-and-forth truly being as drawn out as it was.

In another call-back to Pride and Prejudice, in the final act, we have our male main character threatening to interfere in the sunshine characters' romance in a way that didn't feel as resolved as I needed it to be - his actions are frustrating and limit agency for these characters in a way that rankled a bit. This, alongside our female main character's continued negative self-talk throughout the narrative (more telling than showing, as we don't see a lot of evidence for why she may have felt that way among her family and friends), made it hard for me to really root for the main characters through the final conflict.

While I struggled with the plot and characters, I did find the writing to be compelling, and I'll read more by this author in the future, in hopes that this was just a set-up that didn't quite work for me. Thank you to the author and publisher for an advanced reader copy!

I am not a historical romance girlie and I have never been a historical romance girlie, AND YET something about Isabella Kamal's book made me eager to give it a whirl and it did not disappoint! I found myself hooked early on into the story and I just adored the dual POV.

I'm incredibly weary of giving anything away because one of the pitfalls I find with historical romance is that there's only so much that can happen to our heroines given the strict social morays of the time.

What I will say is that Isabella's writing really shines. I can see just how much thought and love has gone into this story and I'm really looking forward to reading more of her work in the future. Huge congratulations on your release!

Pretty sure I didn't even request this and it just showed up on my shelf. But I'll give my thoughts on what I read of it since it was in my genres I liked.

I was hoping I would like it more than I did, and I do think it has potential, but unfortunately it suffers from poor writing and plot advancement. It DRAGS so slowly. I made it over halfway through the book and NOTHING has happened. Yes, they had to do a quickie arranged marriage because they got caught in a compromising (but not really) position and have to avoid scandal. But literally nothing has happened aside from that. No progress in their relationship, no consummation, no character development, no explanation of these "awful" things the hero has done to make him so hated, nothing. Just endless pages of the heroine moaning about how she's not pretty like her sister. Woe is me. I'm ugly and my hair is too short BECAUSE I CUT IT OFF FOR A REALLY DUMB REASON AND NOW WANT TO GRIPE ABOUT IT. So dumb. Just let. it. grow!! instead of whining. The conversation is stilted and never gets anywhere because they're constantly interrupting each other and changing the subject without allowing the other to finish what they're saying. Its two steps forward and ten steps back constantly. Also, the timing jumps around awkwardly. It completely skipped the lead up to the wedding and the wedding. Just goes from them getting engaged to them being married and headed to their home. I also find it weird that the heroine refers to her father as Solomon instead of Father or something. It kept making me think there was a missing older brother. I haven't even made it to a full love scene yet but I'm not sure if I want to after that tiny glimpse of one I got at the halfway mark. First time I've seen an author straight up use the word clitoris and I can't decide if I liked it or not. The only part of the book I actually have enjoyed so far has been Ezra. He's charming and funny. But I don't like the whole love at first sight thing that's going on with him and the heroine's bestie. Overall, I just don't think I'll end up finishing the book because its torture trying to wait for something to happen or for them to have an actual full conversation for once.

This book was exactly what I wanted when it came to my two favorite tropes Hades x Persephone retelling and marriage of conscience. The relationship development between Persephone and Aidon didn’t feel too rushed or too slow through the story. The side plot between other characters brought the overall story to life and brought depth to the relationship between the main characters. The only mark I could give this book was the big secret was a little lack luster but overall I throughly enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading more by this author.

i didn’t request this book and it seemingly showed up on my shelf to my surprise, so i decided to give it a chance. the bridgerton meets greece pitch intrigued me, but unfortunately that description was the only interesting bit. overall the romance was compelling, but the storytelling is what really drew me out of it

There was a lot to enjoy about this take on a classic regency novel with a slight nod to old myths.

The positives:
* Great tropes such as marriage convenience ( I love both a "forced to marry or be ruined" and a "marry as a business plot but fall in love"), wallflower protagonists and insta-love/lust.
* The subtle retelling of Hades and Persephone was a good premise and this was the first variant i had read that placed the myth in a regency historical.
* Mildly spicy with a relatively believable HEA.
* A decent cast of archetypal, but promising supporting characters with much room for further stories in the series.

The negatives:
* The deep dark secret is pretty anticlimactic and only matters as a foil for our hero to have to "outgrow" his tragic past.
* Some of the plot is furthered by events that are just a bit too coincidental.
* The subtle fourth wall breaking with the characters themselves talking about the Hades and Persephone myth is somewhat heavy handed at time.

Overall, a really enjoyable first novel that will hit all the high points that historical romance readers love.

The Temple of Persephone did a wonderful job of combining two of my favorite things: Greek mythology & Regency romance. Persephone and Aidon are very well-written and feel authentic to both the Persephone/Hades mythological characters as well as people of their station who lived in the Regency era. I'd say the one weak spot of the book was the "secret" that Aidon was keeping. Firstly - it wasn't much of a secret, as it felt telegraphed from page one, and secondly - who cares??

All that said, I did very much enjoy this one. It's sweet and somewhat quiet, but also has some deep moments between the leads. 3.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.