When Persephone's mother, Demeter, forces her into an engagement with Zeus, who's been known to leave behind a string of dead wives, Persephone escapes across the River Styx to lower Olympus. What she doesn't realize is she's running right into the arms of Hades. But perhaps he can help keep her safe for a few months until she turns 25 and can access her inheritance and escape Olympus forever.

This book is a little outside my comfort zone and not what I typically read. And, no, not because it's somewhere between romance and something a little more scandalous. But because it's a touch dystopian, a little bit fantasy, and wholly otherworldly. While these gods don't have literal powers, they have power, and the alternate universe this book exists in is an interesting one. This was a departure from my normal contemporary romance bubble, but at the encouragement of friends who raved about this book, I knew I had to give it a try.

Branded as a modern retelling of Persephone and Hades' tale, this book is all about power struggles and desire, and there's no denying both aspects are masterfully done. I wish we had gotten to see more of Persephone pre-engagement, pre-escape to understand more about her public persona versus the private one she lets free in lower Olympus. As written, we don't really get to see the dichotomy enough, and I think an extra chapter in the beginning or maybe a few flashbacks would have really added to Persephone's character development. This book certainly isn't for the Hallmark-loving faint-of-heart, as it packs a lot of heat, but there's still a creative, original plot to keep readers enthralled.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casa and NetGalley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own

5 stars - 8/10

A story inspired by Hades and Persephone? Written by Katee Robert? Sign. Me. Up.

Going in, I knew Neon Gods was going to be good but it ended up being so much more and even better than I expected! Katee created an incredible retelling of Hades and Persephone that perfectly blended the concepts from the original story while also adding her own unique points to craft an entirely new tale.

In Neon Gods, there are The Thirteen made up thirteen titles in the Greek Pantheon. Each title is inherited and Persephone's mother knows how to play the game. So much so, she promises Persephone to Zeus which would make Persephone the new Hera. The previous Hera, and the two others before her? Well, rumour has it, Zeus is not the charming, charismatic persona he publicly portrays.

In an effort to maintain her freedom (and stay alive), Persephone escapes across the river Styx to the lower city and encounters the thought-to-be-a-myth, oh-so-mysterious, hella sexy Hades. That's when things get even more interesting (and very, very steamy)!

What I really loved about this story was the character dynamics. Persephone, while young, was a strong, independent woman who could easily hold her own against others. Likewise, Hades had his issues (namely plotting for revenge) but he was also a strong, smart character, ready to take on the world to protect Persephone. When together, Hades and Persephone were magic!

Katee created a really wonderful and complex storyline that also allowed for various side characters from other Greek myths to be better introduced and expanded on. To be honest, I'm not very familiar with some of the other characters' original stories so getting a chance to see Katee's interpretation of them in Neon Gods was really great and I can't wait to see how this series further develops.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. From start to finish, it was a wild and steamy ride that perfectly balanced Greek mythology and an original retelling. If you enjoy dark romance, fantasy romance, bdsm romance, or simply adult retellings of Greek mythology, you need to read this book!

Disclaimer: Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Neon God's by Katy Roberts - 5 Stars This was my first book by Katy Roberts and I loved it!! The story of Hades and Persephone is one of my favorites and I love reading retellings of it. In this story the old god's die and new mortals will take over being that god until they die and the cycle continues. Hades is believed to have died with no successor but is actually the leader of the lower city of Olympus. Persephone is the daughter of Demeter who decides to engage Persephone to Hades. Not wanting to marry a man who has gone through many wives (that he supposedly killed) already Persephone flees and without realizing it ends up at one of the bridges to the lower city. Once across the bridge Persephone learns that Hades is indeed alive and not quite what she was lead to believe. I loved this one so much and I can't wait for the next in this series. I loved Hades and his "friendship" with Hermes and Dionysus was so much fun to read about. I also loved the relationship between Persephone and her three sisters and I really hope we are getting their stories next. Hades and Persephone were so good together and I loved going on their journey with them, not only their journey as a couple but also as individuals who have personal things they most go through as well. This is a very adult and steamy book so be warned if you don't enjoy that. If you are ok with steamy reads then be sure to pick this one up! Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for my gifted copy for review.

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

🪑 Q: do you have a fave Hades & Persephone romance re-telling?

I was expecting Katee Robert’s Neon Gods—a Hades & Persephone re-telling—to be H O T. I wasn’t expecting it to be so sweet & romantic. (Waves at Hades hiiiii.)

Olympus is ruled by the 13 gods. In theory. In actuality, the last Hera is suspected to have been murdered by her husband Zeus—who rules the Upper City—& they say that Hades—once ruler of the Lower City—died some time ago.

The River Styx divides the two cities & no one crosses it.

Until the night “obedient” Persephone Dimitriou runs across the bridge, desperate to escape the forced engagement her mother Demeter has arranged between her & Zeus.

A man is on the other side. He’s frightening in some ways, seems safe in others, & after he doctors her wounds he’s revealed to be Hades.

Persephone strikes an arrangement between them: if he harbors her for the winter & keeps her safe from Zeus she’ll sleep with him (something she wants to do regardless) & facilitate his revenge against Zeus, who murdered Hades’s parents years earlier.

Wow 🤩. This book is a cheek-flushing, butterfly-swooping confection. Greek mythology is re-worked in a fascinating way; I cannot tell you how much sexy potential I see in every character in this book .

Hades is absolutely delicious: he is a scarred, forbidding presence who starts to occasionally laugh around Persephone; he worries about her; & the emotional intimacy he is willing to wade into with her is beautiful.

Robert complicates Persephone in a stunning way: I love how Miss Sunshine has teeth & daggers when she travels to the Lower City.

Their sex scenes—both the private ones & the public ones in his dungeon—are stupendous. The discussions of comfort & consent, the way they look out for each other, is just another hot part of this romance.

I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!

5 ⭐️. Neon Gods is out on 06/01.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an eARC of this in exchange for an honest review.*

Neon Gods is a clever reimaging of the gods of Olympus. Dark Olympus to be exact.

In this world, the thirteen gods of the Greek pantheon get their titles the way a Duke might. By being passed on from generation to generation… or by hook or by crook in some cases.

When we enter this retelling of Hades and Persephone. Persephone is being forcibly engaged to Zeus to become his next Hera, the fourth one to be exact, and they haven't died from natural causes if you get what I'm saying. Persephone, not wanting to die young, makes a break for it and ends up crossing the river Styx and landing in the arms of Hades. The only thing is… most people generally think Hades is a myth, but this sexy, devious being is more real than she could ever imagine and he might be the key to her ruin, and her salvation.

Hades has been living in the lower city and quietly biding his time to get revenge against his father's murderer. Who should fall into his lap and his city but the fiancé of his enemy? And even better, she is ready to work with him and get herself ruined. If he can just keep himself from falling for this spunky, bratty, ray of sunshine who can't seem to keep herself healthy and who tempts him beyond control…. What could go wrong?

Seriously, as a long time fan of Katee Robert, I am honestly saying that this is one of my favorite books by her EVER! I loved it from the compelling beginning. I loved Persephone and her bravery and boldness. I loved her willingness to try whatever Hades has planned for her ruination.

I loved watching Hades have his walls busted down. He was this amalgamation of soft and hard and all the fun things I love. He was a Dom with a brat on his hands and he is constantly surprised by how much he likes it. Also, there is a scene with some puppies that was EVERYTHING!

There was also some amazing conversation about consent, and negotiating, and birth control that just made me a pile of goo. I don't know about you all, but as a person who reads almost exclusively romance, I can still get so excited when those things are broached in a new way. It makes me so happy.

Okay, this was a lot of gushing but I really loved it. It was so refreshing and I cannot wait for more in this series. It is gonna be a good one!

5/5 stars, but this one is getting a 6th star in my book!

I’m not sure how I feel about this. I usually love retellings and the writing was good, there were parts that were really sexy and some that were beautifully written, especially Hades’ declaration scene (felt those “allergy” tears coming), but I’m not going to lie, I did find myself skimming for the last half.

There were a couple of scenes that I felt ran on too long, such as the winter market scene. I understand why the author included it. It showed characterization and growth, it definitely helped us see Hades in a new light, but I thought it ran on too long and weighed down the story.

Overall, I did enjoy it and it’s definitely worth a read if you love Greek mythology, retellings, and sexy times.

I love a good Hades and Persephone retelling and to say that I've been waiting for this retelling is putting it mildly. While the story does take place in the wider book universe of Katee Robert's independently published series of Sabine Valley and Wicked Villains, you don't have to have read either of those to read Neon Gods. (But it does have fun little mentions if you have.)

Persephone is a woman with a plan that she's ready to enact as soon as her birthday arrives and she inherits money from her grandmother. She hates that her own mother has risen through the ranks to the Thirteen and dragged her and her sisters up into a spotlight none of them asked for. She's pragmatic and logical and when thrown curve balls in the story begins to look for alternatives that will benefit more people than just herself.

The Hades of Neon Gods may not be what you expect. Is he the leader of the 'Underworld' (or in this case, the 'Lower City')? Yes, but he's a lot more than that. He initially helps Persephone because he sees that she's in distress and needs help, and then sticks around because he's intrigued by her strength and her willingness to help him bring down his adversaries. Their relationship is very steamy, with plenty of banter and open discussion about boundaries and consent. And while both are very alpha characters, as they begin to know one another, their dynamic shifts and becomes one of mutual respect. 

I also loved finally seeing the world of 'Olympus' which has been hinted at in other books by Robert. While we don't spend as much time in the shiny, modern city, Persephone gets to experience the Lower City with Hades and there's so much charm that comes from those scenes that they're some of my favourites. And, alongside that, getting to know some of the side-characters - especially Hermes, who is just a fabulous, in-your-face kind of character who somehow manages to wind her way into Hades and Persephone's world with ease despite being someone of potentially dubious alliances.

There's something wonderful about an anticipated book that lives up to what you want it to be. I've already pre-ordered a physical copy of the book for when it's released in June and I cannot wait to reread it.

Hades is a myth to those who live in the upper city of Olympus. Although she knows this, Persephone has always been a bit curious about him. When she finds herself suddenly betrothed to Zeus against her will, Persephone realizes the only way she can get out of marrying him is to escape-escape across the bridge and into the lower city, a place where nobody goes. As soon as she breaks free from the upper city, she finds herself in the arms of brooding man and realizes that Hades isn't just a myth after all. He's real, and the two come up with a plan to get back at Zeus, the man who has caused so much hurt in both of their lives.

Do I officially have a new favorite Katee Robert book? Yes, yes I do. It is hard for me to express in words how much I loved this book. The characters and plot were both so well done, and I enjoyed the fact that we got to see chapters from both Persephone and Hades's perspectives. I was captivated by the story from the first chapter, and watching Persephone and Hades grow closer to one another while also getting revenge just made me really happy. I personally love a good steamy romance, and Katee Robert definitely delivered in that aspect while not having the entire story revolve around sex; the overarching plot was intense and kept me on the edge of my seat. Hades made my heart melt, and his love for Persephone had me swooning. He might just be one of my new book boyfriends. I absolutely loved Neon Gods and cannot wait to see what happens as the series continues!

Content warning for violence, kink, murder, loss of parents.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC of Neon Gods by Katee Robert!

I am a huge Greek mythology lover and so I couldn't wait to get my hands on this Hades and Persephone retelling. Several friends have recommended Katee Robert to me and it was just as steamy as they said her books are. This is a very loose retelling and though the author took several liberties with it (like family trees for example), I really enjoyed all the little nods to the myth. I loved the modern twist and it had a very similar feel to it as the popular Webtoon, Lore Olympus.

Hades and Persephone were hot, hot, hot and it was delicious to see them lower their masks and love each other exactly as they were. I wasn't expecting the "playroom" side of Hades, but it really worked and will leave readers fanning themselves for sure. The ending wrapped up a little quickly and conveniently, but I'm really looking forward to seeing what's next in the series. There are a lot of secondary characters and stories left to tell. Neon Gods was sexy, a little taboo, and a whole lot of fun.

CW: on page violence/assault, death of loved ones (fire related)

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

Wow, where to even being! I absolutely loved this book. Its an amazing new take on the Greek mythology troupe. The first thing that I loved about this book was how the author Katee was able to pull you in right away, this wasn't a book that took over 100 pages to pull you in and I really appreciated that. Katee really knew how to start the book with a BANG! I finished this book in less than 24 hours because I simply could not put it down.

The books follows Persephone, daughter of Demeter (head of one of the 13 houses). The book starts at a party that Persephone doesn't want to be at but is due to her mothers influence. Persephone is hiding out in a side room at the party when her mother finds her and tells her she must return to the party immediately, unknown to Persephone her mother is about to have Zeus ambush her and publicly propose to her in a manner she cant publicly deny. Persephone had already planned to leave Olympus on her next birthday which was a few months away, all that was holding her back was waiting for her trust fund to release to her, so Zeus proposing throws a wrench in her plan. Persephone decides to flee Olympus to the other side of the river (a place Zeus never ventures) where she meets Hades (who everyone thinks is dead). Persephone and Hades decide to make a deal, he will house her for 3 months until her trust is released and in return Persephone will publicly date Hades to stick it to his enemy Zeus and also help ruin Persephone's reputation (so Zeus will hopefully no longer want her).

I don't want to give any more details away, what I've written about is literally just the first 50 or so pages of the book and it just gets better and better as it goes. I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series when it is written. This book is out June 1st and you definitely do not want to miss it! Amazing job Katee Robert!

Holy gods. This book was perfection. It was steamy AF. I loved the emphasis on consent, safe sex, and STD testing. I feel like we don’t see that enough in books. I really hope there’s more to this story because I devoured it in less than 24 hours. The writing was so good. It just made you get lost in this story and made you FEEL.

Robert masterfully turns the myth of Persephone and Hades on its head, making it modern and kinky. Exploring issues of consent through kink and the arranged marriage trope (which she delightfully subverts - the story is set in motion when Persephone finds out her mother and Zeus have decided that she’ll marry Zeus), readers will lap this up. The steamy sex is absolutely integral to the plot, and is the only reason I had trouble reading this at the branch, since I was crimson.

Additionally, Katee Robert includes nods to the original myth that made me utterly giggle: Persephone’s safe word is Pomegranate. At one point, she and Hades take in three adorable little puppies - named Cerberus, Charybdis, and Scylla.

Demeter is in charge of the food stores for both the Upper and Lower portions of Olympus, and she only threatens to cut off the food supply to the Lower City in order to force Persephone’s return. Additionally, the myth has Persephone spending six months of the year with Hades, six with Demeter. Here, Robert has Hades required to show up to six different events a year at Demeter’s command.

Katee Robert has yet to let me down! This was my first Hades and Persephone retelling and I really enjoyed it. This version of Hades is so different from the Hades in her Wicked Villains series, he’s more possessive and isn’t in to sharing his women. I cannot wait for Psyche and Ero’s story!

This is the first book in the new series Dark Olympus from Katee Robert, and thank f*ck because I need to know more about this world!

I’m a big fan of books based on mythology and even though I hadn´t read anything by Katee Robert before I knew that she writes STEAMY books, so this just sounded like a match made in heaven. I mean, a retelling of Hades & Persephone in a sort of modern setting? Yes, thank you.

And the world is so interesting. We have 13 “gods” who rule the city of Olympus, these are either chosen or born into their roles. When one dies, another takes over the name. Persephone is the daughter of the current Demeter, making her a part of the court and the drama constantly going on.

When her mother promises her hand in marriage to Zeus however she panics and runs away. Zeus is rumored to have killed his previous wives, and she doesn’t want to become his next victim. She runs to the forbidden undercity, where she makes a deal with a man she thought was a myth, Hades himself.

Like I said, this world is so interesting, and I want to know more. I want to know about how the 13 gets chosen, about how the magic that creates the barrier between the different parts of the city works, about all of the characters that are only mentioned in this book. I loved all of the side characters in this, Hermes was just a joy! And was Dionysus possibly demi- or asexual? So intrigued…

And the two mains, they were just so perfect together. I did think that Hades could have been a bit more… morally grey? Like, he was almost too nice? I mean he's HADES.

When it comes to the steamy bits, I mean they were STEAMY and on the kinky side. I feel like this was Hades “dark side”, and even there he could have been even more “dark”. But I really appreciated the consent and conversations happening around these parts of the book.

I really enjoyed this book overall, even if I wanted a bit more in some aspects. I’m really looking forward to more books in this world though!

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for the e-arc!

"Neon Gods was everything I needed in a Hades and Persephone romance and more. Wicked, original, and downright sexy, I couldn't put the book down. Katee Robert has found her brand: twisted myths and fairy tales that make you blush. She's a new favorite author for sure." ~ NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan

First off I would like to thank @sourcebookscasa and @netgalley for providing me with an eARC of Neon Gods by @katee_robert. I feel like Katee Robert is an author that is always popping up in my recommendations within the romance community, so I was so excited to read this Hades and Persephone reimagining.

Whilst reading this book I discovered something about myself. I just freaking love anything with Hades in it. 🤣 This was one of those romance books I had to only allow myself to read at bedtime or else I knew I would get nothing done during the day. It was twisty, sexy, dark, and addicting as hell. I stayed up way too late a few nights losing track of time in this delicious story. If the erotic romance genre is your thing, or if you love Hades and Persephone retellings than I highly encourage you to pick this one up when it releases in June.

A very fun and sexy Hades and Persephone retelling, reimagined in a contemporary style world.

A fast-paced compelling read, with incredibly loveable characters. The romance was equal measures steamy and heart-warmingly sweet. I really appreciated the focus of the narrative on healthy communication, trust and consent. Only real criticism was that there was a very cliche trope used for 'character development' near the end.

Overall a compelling and steamy read with very sweet characters that I would highly recommend.

**I will wait to post this review publicly to my GoodReads and Instagram until the month leading up to the release**

This was my first Katee Roberts novel so I had no real idea about what I was getting into. I was just excited to read a modern-day Persephone/Hades romance retelling. This book was very fast-paced and lacked some of the overdone tropes that can get thrown into these types of romances which I was thankful for. I enjoyed the relationship and steam that took place between our two main characters. They had a lot of chemistry and a sweet dynamic from the beginning.

All my complaints with this novel, when I think about them more, come down to really the same one thing. I needed MORE from this story. Wanting more let's me know I enjoyed it, but not receiving more was a bit of a let down. The story felt more like a start rather than a completed work. There were a lot of things left very vague: Is this world magical? There seems to be magic based on the bridge not letting people pass easily, but there's no other even minutely magical happenings in the book. Do the Thirteen have different names, why are their titles Greek and that is what they go by? Persephone's mother is called THE Demeter and also Demeter, but since she was elected to the position, we know that can't also be her real name. The same with Hermes. What is Persephone's degree in? What is she planning for her Doctorate? Persephone did not feel like a fully fleshed out character and some of the pieces of her story seemed like they were thrown in to make her SEEM more complex without actually doing the work to make that happen. All of these questions and more added up and plagued me as I continued reading and made me feel like the storyline was more and more vague. This book is almost 400 pages, but not a lot seems to happen except the threat of war which I also didn't really understand,

As this seems like it might be a series, I hope to get more answers in following books and I am excited to continue reading and see new couples!! I also hope the following books explore the kink community aspect more fully. This one seemed to tread lightly in those waters.

All in all, it was a quick, sexy, fun read and I can't wait to continue the series!

Thank you to Source Casablanca and Netgalley for the eArc!

Katee Robert writes absolutely delightful candy. Her books are scorching hot and her sexual politics are good. She respectfully writes messy, complicated characters with scars (emotional and physical), but keeps it light enough not to be retraumatizing. I don’t become immersed in her worlds, but I do go back to them for escape and comfort.

I was introduced to her Wicked Villains stories, which recasts the villains of Disney movies as the actual good guys. They live in a divided city with Hades sex club as their neutral territory. Neon Gods is in the same world, but a different city – Olympus. This is a retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth, but with a lot more sex and and Persephone has agency. You don’t have to know the myth to appreciate the story, but Robert works in a lot of elements that lovers of the mythology will appreciate.

“If Olympus is ruled by the Thirteen, the Thirteen are ruled by Zeus. It’s a legacy role, one passed from parent to child, the bloodline stretching back to the first founding of the city. Our current Zeus has held his position for decades, ever since he took over at thirty. He’s somewhere north of sixty now. I suppose he’s attractive enough if one likes big barrel-chested white men with great boisterous laughs and beards gone winter-gray. He makes my skin crawl.”

Persephone’s mother has arranged her marriage to Zeus, which would make her the next Hera. Zeus has had previous wives and there are whispers that their deaths were intentional. Persephone flees and is rescued by Hades. when she crosses the River Styx. She makes a deal that she hopes will keep her safe from Zeus and allow Hades to get revenge. The deal keeps them in proximity to each other and of course they catch feelings.

Neon Gods would be a great entry point for a new Katee Robert reader. It may share a universe with her Wicked Villains and Sabine Valley (a retelling of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers with a lot less singing and dancing) series, but it is not dependent on them. It might be my favorite of Robert’s books. She balances the world building, relationships, and sexy times really well. Hades and Persephone are a nuanced grumpy/sunshine paring. They each understand the power of image and see the person beneath the mask. The ways they choose to be vulnerable gets pretty swoony.

I suspect this is going to be another addictive series from Robert. I’m already looking forward to how she’s going to retell Orpheus and Eurydice. Neon Gods is available June 1.

I received this as an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

“It’s Olympus. You play power games, you pay the consequences.”

Neon Gods was not at all what I was expecting. I mean it was, but also I wasn’t expecting the romance aspect to be so freaking sweet and for me to fall so easily for Persephone and Hades together. Don’t get me wrong that Katee Roberts heat and passion is there too, but the sweetness. Amazing.

So Neon Gods is essentially a story about Persephone running away from the corrupt politics and intense obligations that are forced upon her in her old life. She runs right out of the glitz of upper Olympus and into the arms of Hades, who she only ever knew as a whisper on the lips of the Olympus elite. Thus ensues a love story and us learning more and more about Olympus and it’s corrupt inner workings. If you’ve read Katee’s Wicked Villains series, then you may know she sort of flips the script on what we think of established characters and makes them very much her own. She nails that here, and will truly make you hate characters who were loved in the mythology you know and characters who were hated you’ll fall for. I honestly can’t wait for more of this series. I think it’s going to be great.

Neon Gods is the perfect mix of heat, sweet, and a dash of darkness.