The Queen & the King by Jeanette Rose & Alexis Rune is a thrilling and captivating read that will leave readers on the edge of their seats. The authors have beautifully crafted a story that is both imaginative and evocative. The book follows the story of the God of the Dead and the Queen of Spring, as they navigate their way through the challenges of their tumultuous relationship.

The characters are well-defined and relatable, making it easy for readers to connect with them. The plot is fast-paced, and the tension builds up to an explosive climax that will leave readers breathless. The authors have done an excellent job of creating a vivid and richly detailed world that feels both familiar and otherworldly.

The Queen & the King is a must-read for fans of fantasy and mythology. It's a gripping tale of destiny, fate, and the power of love. The book is a perfect blend of action, romance, and suspense, making it an enjoyable and satisfying read. Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for permitting this book to be a Read Now to help members develop their Feedback Ratio in exchange for an honest review.

Review Summary:
The final installment in the Persphone and Hades saga following straight on from the cliffhanger at the end of book two. The story is informally divided into two distinct 'parts', the first focusing on Hades, Persephone and her mother and the second on Kronos and the Titans. Throughout the book we see Hades and Persephone try to restore order to the pantheon and as a result, the Underworld and their tie to each other and their realm. There is a heavy focus on Hades and Persephone facing and trying to process the trauma caused by their respective parents.
Positives are that there is a genuinely interesting story forming the backbone of this installment The first half contained some romance elements that were missing from the first two books so this felt like a huge improvement. Because there was more focus on the story some of the more irritating aspects of prose were toned down which made it feel more readable.
The negatives are that the story still felt underdeveloped. The second half - the aspect that wasn't focusing on their relationship - was still very rushed in comparison to part one. Action scenes were underwritten and seemed to be resolved too quickly meaning the lack of convincing peril has persisted from the last book. There are still very repetitive scenes and elements of prose that detract from the storyline.

2.5 stars for being the strongest installment of Hades and Persephone's saga but still being let down by an inappropriate YA writing style. It is very much a missed opportunity for richer world-building with a more mature and complex plot, which definitely could have been done with the foundations provided in their trilogy. The series is apparently continuing, with a background plot being threaded through them but the main characters changing. I'm not sure how I feel about that plan as it means each God/pairing will not feel like true stand-alones. If the trend of my ratings are anything to go by we could have a 5 star by book 8!

FULL REVIEW BELOW. AVAILABLE WITH THE ADDITION OF HIDDEN SPOILERS ON GOODREADS.

World-building:
In this book we see a little more of Olympus, the realm Persephone grew up in. However it is still very limited, which contradicted the fact that Persephone was supposed to have been 'introduced into society' at this point. It could have been a chance to see what day-to-day life in Olympus was like, such as the more bustling city-like areas that we envision in Ancient Greece and mythology. We did however get a sense of Demeter's reputation and influence in Olympus following events in book one. Generally we were kept to the rural areas where Persephone and her mother tended their gardens. Other deities with relevance in this book were the usual suspects - Mellie, Morpheus, Zeus and Poseidon but we are also introduced to Nyx and Erebus. The primordials had an indirect but important influence in this book too. The powers and political standing of Nyx, Erebus and the primordials felt a bit muddled and confused in this story and lacking explanation. In fact some of their powers seemed to contradict some of the lore that had been introduced earlier in the series, sometimes with 'consequences' that seemed to conveniently not come to fruition. This is going to be developed further throughout the books in this series according to the author, even though it is moving on to other Gods and pairings, but it made it more difficult to understand some of the law and order in the pantheon and affected being able to read these first three books as a stand-alone trilogy due to the loose ends. There was also a vague introduction of other pantheons from different mythologies such as Norse or Mesopotamian and their inferred parallel existence. Again this was frustratingly unexplained.

Characterisation:
This may be terrible to say but Persephone is a much nicer character when she is under Demeter's influence and is the 'old' Persephone. Yes she is under a tyrannical rule by her mother, is regularly physically and emotionally abused and is taught to repress her true self. Seeing their dynamic in the first part of this book does in many ways provide context to how the 'new' Persephone navigates the world and carries herself. But in many way she is sweeter and kinder. She has a more whymsical sense of naivety which made the first part of this book quite enjoyable to read because ironically she seemed more mature, down-to-earth and less child-like. As a result the first part of the book and the dynamic she had with Hades was a really nice read. It felt more organic and romantic and evoked a real sense of longing. 'New' Persephone does feel a little less unbearable as a result but I still find her inherantly unlikeable. Demeter still feels like a poor attempt at a villain to me, being too 'on-the-nose' with her controlling nature and in many ways just being straight-up awful to Persephone for no real reason. Her passive aggression, emotional manipulation and sense of authority does often have context behind it under the guise of trying to 'protect' Persephone and control her and I find her more intimidating during these moments. But other times she is just straight-up evil, unabashedly abusive, for the sake of being evil. Mellie is still the token Gen Z character and her relationship with Helios is supposed to provide comic relief, but I mostly just find them both incredibly annoying and cringe. Hades has been a shell of himself since the end of book one, when he became a clingy wet blanket of a character. This doesn't change much unfortunately. The only time he shows any of his more masculine and hard-edged attitude from book one, which made him more endearing, is when he interacts with his brothers. These brothers also appear very little in this installment even though Zeus in particular is a pretty essential influence on events in the second part of the book. There is a scene which aims to develop Poseidon as a character and his relationship with Hades, but it feels very random and unneccessary and is never mentioned again making it feel misplaced and pretty pointless. Kronos is again a character that feels evil just for the sake of being evil. I never find myself feeling particularly afraid of him.

Story:
As mentioned I actually really enjoyed the story in part one of the book. Certain aspects of it didn't make an awful lot of sense, such as Hades' ability to dreamjump and enter Olympus when it's made pretty clear he's not supposed to be able to do that. But generally I did feel a sense of desperation of treating 'old' Persephone with patience despite an overwhelming sense of longing and sadness and the panic of the Titans persisting in the background. Demeter and Kronos' scheming, and the consequences of their actions, was also an interesting element of the story. Persephone being entrusted by Gaia to solve the issue caused by Demeter's ambition was when everything started to feel rushed. This issue seemed to solve itself in minutes, with no real effort. Then when we get to the main story in part two versus Kronos and the Titans, we get a glimpse of some promising action scenes but again they feel rushed. A particular scene which sees Hades get out of trouble is also really poorly explained, with a solution that shouldn't have been able to happen and a 'consequence' of this solution never coming to fruition despite warnings. It just felt like lazy storytelling.

Prose:
The smut is yet again largely identical to the scenes in book one. I could create a bingo of words and phrases that have been present throughout all three books repeatedly, and could probably guess every smut scene sentence by sentence before even reading it. One scene later on in the throne room could have been great and super erotic, but it was just the exact same events in a different setting. It just adds to the YA feel and makes the writing feel very repetitive in parts. I am sick of the words 'growl', 'roar', 'tunnelled' and I have a visceral reaction every time Helios calls Mellie 'hellcat' or Mellie calls Hades 'demon daddy'.

I'm happy I stuck through this series now that I've finished the last book! I struggled with the first two and felt they were a little drawn out. I wasn't loving it but was interested enough to keep going and I would say it was worth it.

This last book wraps up the trilogy nicely. There was a good amount of drama, action and I enjoyed the memory loss and separation aspect more than I thought I would. I tend to look for some sort of reasonable struggle that an established couple has to go through and it was handled very well in this case. Hades was so sweet during that whole time and so patient all things considered. I loved seeing his growth in this book and how much better he was with understanding her emotions even if Persephone wasn't quite herself.

I also really liked Helios and Mellie's constant bickering and his obsession with her. The secondary characters really bring a lightness to the story and it made the more stressful parts of the book easier to get through. Overall i had a good time reading this and I'm glad I didn't give up despite my apprehension with the earlier books.

I love this series so much.
From the first book to this one they are all so good.
The take the authors give on Hades and Persephone is one of my absolute favorites.
Now I adoreeee Greek and Roman god retellings, so I read them a lot, and this is by far my favorite retelling of any of them.
Persephone is a baddie. Not some timid thing that so many books make her out to be.
And hades is irrevocably obsessed with her.
Their love is amazing and the world building in every one of these books is perfection.
I can’t wait to read the next one!

~Book 3 of the series~

*potential spoilers*

This is the third and final book in the Hades and Persephone retelling, and I enjoyed it very much.
As cruel as she was, I really enjoyed seeing Demeter up close, and learning how Persephone lived for 200 years. It was agonising waiting for her to regain her memories, but it proved that she and Hades were fated to be together.

I am a sucker for a happy ending, and I was not disappointed! I have already recommended the series to friends of mine :)

📖The Queen and The King by Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune📖

This was a Retelling about Hades x Persephone and the third installment of a series. I really thought I would have to read the first two but to my surprise, I can say that it can read as a standalone — in my point of view.

This was also the second retelling I read of these two and it was such a good one! I personally researched before about them and this was well-received! I love every bit of romance into this story. It was very romantic and the slow burn was delicious. I love how they met in dreams and the tension between them was fantastic. Demeter was always making things complicated for them and the way she treated Persephone was way harsh which I actually love. Everything was written even the sensual scenes. There was a lot but it was perfect.

The only thing I don’t understand is that the way communication around Olympus was a phone? I thought they have powers and yet they use this? But then again, I still love it and would really recommend this story to anyone who loves retelling, Hades x Persephone, and Mythology.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC! I really do enjoy this one the most!

I am 20% through the Queen & the King and I'm sorry I just do not like it. The writing and the plot have improved from the first and second books but it feels disjointed and I'm going to guess that is because it is meant to be a tandem read. In my opinion, tandem reads are fun but you should never ruin the experience for the reader if they don't choose to read the book in that manner.

I am going to come back and try to finish the third book later but for now, I hate to do it but I'm to set to as a DNF.

Thank you to Netgalley, Alexis Rune, and Jeanette Rose for letting me read this in return for an honest review.

Well, I've reached the end of this series with Hades and Persephone, and I've got to say, it was a bit of a letdown. Despite my hopes, the same old problems from the previous books popped up again:

- Predictable Plot: It felt like I could see every twist coming from a mile away, complete with the usual cliches.
- Character Depth: This was my biggest gripe. The characters just didn’t evolve in a way that felt real or substantial. Whatever development they had didn't come across as genuine or well-explored.
= Super Persephone?: I mean, Persephone goes from a sheltered life to ruling as a queen, mastering all her powers, leading in battle, and commanding people like she’s been doing it her whole life. It just didn’t ring true for me.

It's a shame, really. I wanted to love this finale, but it just didn’t hit the mark, feeling more like a rushed conclusion than a satisfying end to a journey. By the end, I just didn't care enough about the main characters or the bigger plot that was hinted to actually want to continue reading this series.

Absolutely the most painful of the trilogy. But the way that Hades so fiercely loved Persephone through it all. We cannot leave out our favorite character Cerebus and his adoration of his Mommy.
Demeter deserves the award for absolutely being the worst person to have ever existed.

This is the conclusion to the trilogy, and after a lot of pain and suffering, we do reach our HEA.

Best when read tandem with The Nightmare & The Daydream.

The Queen & The King by Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune
Release Date: February 27, 2024

Pages: 360

Love and Fate series
🌀The Maiden & The Unseen
🌀The Mistress & The Renowned
🌀The Queen & The King
🌀The Nightmare & The Daydream

⚠️Content Warning⚠️
Please check content warnings BEFORE reading.

Format: 📱

What to Expect:
💙Dark Romance
🖤Dual POV
💙Fantasy
🖤Fated Mates
💙Gods
🖤Mental Health Rep
💙Mythology
🖤Retelling

Ratings:
FMC: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
MMC: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25

Review:
In the conclusion of Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune’s Hades and Persephone retelling, expect A LOT of pain. From Hades trying to help Persephone unlock her memories of a past stolen by Demeter to Cerberus wanting to see Mommy, The Queen & The King will make you feel all the pain of loving someone who doesn’t yet love you back.

I recommend reading The Queen & The King in tandem with The Nightmare and The Daydream for the best reading experience.

The Queen & The King is perfect for readers who enjoy feeling their hearts break repeatedly. It is a powerful retelling of the story of Hades, Persephone, and mythical dog parents.

I was given an ARC of the whole trilogy from Netgalley and DEVOURED it in less than a week.

I was eagerly anticipating diving into this book! The fresh spin on the tale of Hades and Persephone had me hooked, and I couldn't wait to witness how their journey would conclude, hoping for their happily ever after.

Their resilience throughout numerous trials was commendable, and I found their journey captivating as they fought to reunite and endure the looming war. As the final battle approached, I found myself torn between racing to the climax and wanting to savor every moment, not wanting the story to end.

While the beginning of the book felt a bit sluggish to me, mirroring the struggles of Hades and Persephone's separation, I found it challenging to fully engage. Hades appeared too despondent and melancholic for my taste; I longed for the wrathful King of the Underworld to unleash his fury until he reclaimed his love. Instead, we were presented with a somber figure who directed his anguish towards those closest to him.

Excitement bubbles within me as I anticipate what lies ahead in this intriguing world.

Rating: 5/5
I received eARC for my honest opinion.

This was the third book of the series Love & Fate, and the wrapping up of Hades and Persephone. I loved this book so much, even more than the other books. I loved all the action, the romance, chemistry, the battles of the minds and physical.

I love these authors so much, and I love their world building. They know how to suck you into a world and keep you wanting more and more. The attention to details in this book was a big key and you can see that with the plot and the characters' growth in this book. It wasn’t just a book that gives you a wrap up on their book, but at the same time you will see the characters that you have come to love grow and develop so much. For me the plot was great, I love that in this book you will be able to see what the next book will be about and the characters for the next book as well. I love that you will get a closed plot with Hades and Persephone, but you will be able to see the bigger picture of the whole series and the other characters.

For me the character growth of Persephone was the best, I know that she might have lost some of her memories, but you will see her old self come out more and more but in a different way. One that you will see stronger and better than she was before. More of a queen that is distanced to rule the Underworld with Hades. I loved getting to see Hades have to fight for himself for once and overcome all the issues that he has been bottling up since he was young, and learning to fight for himself for once makes him stronger for his relationship with Persephone, but no worries they are still both there for each other in the book.

I cannot wait to see what the next book will give us, and I am so excited to learn more about these characters. I just adore this series so much already.

I want to thank NetGalley and Rose & Star Publishing for the opportunity to review this book.

From all three book this is the best!
I love everything that happen in this book, Hades and Persephone relationship, their struggle to protect each other, how desperate both of them when they far from each other, the battle, the ending everything is so good. In this book Hades and Persephone really work together to become together because we know Persephone lost her memory about her bond with Hades but still their chemistry is so great. I think this book become a huge difference with the other books. And truly the best one to complete the series. Really recommend to read this book to complete the series!

The queen and the king by Jeanette rose and Alexis Rune.
Book 3 of love and Fate.
They were at odds for what felt like months living together, and just when he finally felt they were on stable footing, she's again wrenched from his grasp. Is this their true destiny? To be torn from each other over and over again? Yet, Demeter could never count on their mental connection, one as tied to the Underworld as they are. Too powerful and too old for even Demeter to touch.
Omg I love this series. I don't want it to end. I love the cover. I really really enjoyed this book. Persephone and Hades are still my favourite characters. I couldn't put it down until the last page. The fight scene had me. I don't want this series to end. I can't wait for the next book. 5*.

“The Queen and the King,” by Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune

Hades and Persephone have been separated once again. Titans are on the loose. The Destroyer of Worlds will be awakened. Persephone’s mother doesn’t want Hades to have her.

This is the third book of the Hades and Persephone trilogy. It did not disappoint after the first two books. It was so good. I loved Persephone’s circumstances and how she develops as a person even though she is different than she was in the first two books. Hades in this series is such a good supportive husband and I love seeing them together. I adored this entire series. 5 out of 5 stars, so perfect.

-Hades X Persephone Retelling
-Gods/Goddesses

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

And now, the grand finale! What a lovely roller coaster these books were. Hades and Persephone finally got their happy ending. Or did they? Although this series will continue with other main characters, there were some things left for our favorite couple to go through. Maybe they will come back as side characters in future installments. I sure hope so because I am never done with Hades and Persephone.

Anyway, about "The Queen & The King," memory loss, falling in love all over again, a more in-depth understanding of each of their characters, and, most of all, the lesson of self-love. A great ending to this love/spicy story. I can't wait for the future installments.

Favorite Quotes:
“I tuck the Rose back in the drawer before replacing the board and all of my items. I shut it again, and with it, I lock away the other side of me. The one I’m desperate to explore.”
“Darkness is not Inherently evil, just as light is not inherently good.”
“It seems no matter the timing, no matter the aspect, I am meant to fall in love with her evry way. Memory or not. God or not. She is mine, and I am hers.”

What a satisfying ending for Hades and Persephone! I enjoyed all three books in their story, but I think this one was my favorite. All the trials and tribulations they go through as a couple and ad individuals really made me fall in love with them all over again. I look forward to continuing within the universe with different characters. I also highly recommend the tandem read with The Nightmare & The Daydream!

While this book did maintain its 3 ⭐ from the 2nd installment, it is, unfortunately, stagnant there.

There is a nice dynamic in the first half when Persephone "lost" her memories, and I have to say, she was 100% likeable compared to the old Persephone. Her and Hades' romance felt more genuine, and not hinged upon "he's hot, she's hot, let's f*ck and call it a relationship" thing they had going in the 1st and 2nd books. Hades broke my heart. It felt like he really liked this side of Persephone. I even daresay the best parts of him shone through when they weren't such a toxic trainwreck.

The second half went downhill. Everything did. But what puzzled me the most is the fact Persephone was the one to being down the villain. There's literally a trio of gods called "the big three" who have powers beyond anyone's, including Persephone. I felt it was just a play on "badass FMC" but it's only badass if she can back up her badassery. All bite and no talk is lame af.

I finally finished it, but I do not think I'll be re-reading or thinking about this series again. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of The Queen and The King by Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune.

I really enjoyed the third and final book of the Love and Fate series! I loves the clash of Gods and Titans and the quest to get Persephone back from Demeter.

Book three delivers on the spice just the same as the books before.

I'm going to read the Mellie and Helios novella next, and I look forward to anymore Greek pairings Jeanette Rose and Alexis Runeay write in the future!

An epic conclusion to an incredible fun retelling of the Hades and Persephone myths. I loved this story and the personality, powers, and agency that both gods were given in these books. The added bonus of Helios and Mêlione was SUCH a treat. As soon as I finished I just wanted to start it all over again!