4.5 stars

I am so ridiculously happy that I received this ARC, I love everything Katee does pretty much and I adored Neon Gods so when I got this ARC i dropped everything to start it.

Eros is Aphrodite’s clean up crew, she is conniving and manipulative and sends her son out to kill her enemies. He thinks himself to be a horrible irredeemable monster because of this. At one of the Olympus parties, Psyche sees Eros coming in late to a party and he’s hurt from an errand his mother sent him on. She doesn’t really know him well, but she wants to help and takes him aside to help tend to his wounds. This one act of kindness is so offside to Eros that he’s immediately pretty obsessed with Psyche. When Aphrodite wants Eros to eliminate psyche as a threat, he can’t do it. So he talks her into marrying him to protect her.

These two. I loved them. Eros was sooo obsessed with psyche yet insecure with himself- he doesn’t believe someone as amazing as psyche could love him, but his heart is thawing to her and he can’t stop. I liked their scheming to solve their problems and i loved their dynamic. The smut was amazing as usual, bc it’s Katee. Also, psyche is a plus size heroine! It’s mentioned many times and eros worships her every time she or anyone tries to make any type of comment about it. Lots of praise kink kind of because eros can’t stop complimenting her. A great sequel! (3.5 spice level)

Reviewer note; since this ARC is so early I’m not going to post TikToks about it until closer to release! But it’ll 100% be done then

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Another delightfully steamy story from Katee Robert. I love her Greek retellings and can't wait for the next book to come out! This had a different feel from Neon Gods, but still full of action and spice. The cool modern setting of the city of Olympus provides a unique backdrop to all of the fascinating and scandalous activities. Aphrodite is an inspired villain and a great character! I loved all of the manipulation and maneuvering in this story, and it added so much suspense to the relationship between Psyche and Eros. Katee is a talented author with a true gift for spice!

Even better then the first one! He is dark, brooding, and dangerous. She is kind, clever, and fierce. I love how the initial attraction is allowed to grow into real feelings. I love a fake marriage. Just a great fun, hot read. Can't wait for the next one.

Katee Robert's Dark Olympus series got off (no pun intended) to a sexy, surprisingly emotional start with Neon Gods, and as a follow-up, Electric Idol only comes partway to the charm and propulsive prose of its predecessor. This second installment follows Psyche Dimitriou, Persephone's sister from book 1, as she tries to escape Aphrodite's wrath by entering a pact with her son-slash-henchman, Eros. There's a fantastic fake relationship trope complicated, as you might expect, by explicit, world-shaking intimacy. Overall, though, I wanted more of the dynamic character work Robert is clearly great at, but diminishes in favor of endless, gratuitous sex scenes.

What I liked about this book was the way it drew back the curtain on two people raised to be one thing in public while their private selves evolved both because of and despite those personas. What I didn't like about this book was how little of that precious character depth we were given. Psyche and Eros understand one another in subtle, nuanced ways, and seeing them unearth one another's truths was truly compelling. There was also a fair amount of contemporary Olympus political intrigue -- though I could have done with substantially more of that, too.

Will I read the next Dark Olympus novel? Absolutely. It will likely be another un-put-down-able romp with some delightfully narcissistic characters (I know who I've got my eye on, but I can't mention it here because spoilers). My hope, though, is that Katee Robert trusts her audience enough to appreciate the character work as much as the open-door intimacy. We're ready for a Greek myth retelling that does both.

Dark Olympus 2… and if possible, I loved it more than I loved the first one. The flawed man who’s been conditioned his whole life to believe he’s nothing but a tool at his mothers disposal, that he’s a monster and isn’t capable of love. The plus-sized influencer who’s mother had grand plans to climb the power ladder and will stop at nothing, even using her daughters as pawns to get there.

Thrust into a marriage of convenience to try and protect Psyche’s life, the two of them are a formidable pair. Eros starts longing for a different life, a quieter life where Psyche could be his and he could be hers, without danger knocking down their door.

I loved watching their relationship develop and watching Eros grow as Psyche breaks through his walls and gets to know the real him, and I love how Psyche sheds her persona for him, I just love how they let each other in and how their relationship blooms.

I thought this was very well done, and yes, definitely unspeakably hot. Psyche and Eros are both FIRE and incredible soft for each other. You won’t want to miss this one, and good luck putting it down!

Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for sending me this eARC to review.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book in return for an honest review.

Katee is at it again with the great books!! I read the first of the Dark Olympus Series (Neon Gods) when it came out and I was so excited for the second book and I was not disappointed at all! This book follows Eros and Psyche in a more contemporary retelling and I absolutely adored both of the characters. While you don't have to read the first book in this series, I recommend that you do as this is set directly after that and both of the books have a nice amount of lore in them.

This is definitely tamer with the sex than Neon Gods but it is still sooo good! Eros is pretty feral being a fixer for his mother, Aphrodite, but is absolutely smitten with Psyche who is a fat influencer who knows she is great. Psyche's confidence is amazing and constantly made me smile. This book has marriage of convenience, openly queer MC's (and side characters), fatphobia (dealt with really well in my opinion) and so much more. My only wish for this book is for there to be more.

Rating: 4.5⭐
Would I Read It Again? Yes, Yes, Yes
Would I Recommend it? Yes

Let me tell you, I love the world that Katee Robert has created in Dark Olympus. I really liked Hades and Persephone in Neon Gods and I might've liked this one better. It was so interesting to get to know Psyche as readers have one view of her in NG and she is so much more. I also loved how this story took the mythos and twisted it - KR is really good at interweaving the mythos into the story.

Eros is a typical alpha lead but you slowly realize that he has been deeply traumatized. The layers just get peeled back and he becomes more complex than the hired gun that you think he is in the beginning.

Plus the TROPES: I love a marriage of convenience so so much and this one is a great example. It's dark, deep, steamy and sexy. But there is this beautiful thread about family that I felt was even stronger than Persephone's book. I can't wait to see what happens in the rest of the series (1) CALLISTO is going to be so good and 2) Can I get a Hermes book please?!)

One issue I do have is the diversity - there is Hermes yes, but that is pretty much it. No other named characters of color. I do like the fluidity of sexuality but wish it was more explicit. Both feel like they are there just to add some spice to a primarily white cis book. Katee - give me some Hermes and I'd be happy to be a beta/sensitivity reader!

I was nervous when I picked up the book because I LOVED Neon Gods and sequels scare me. I should’ve known better- Katee Robert has too many good ideas in her beautiful brain!
Electric Idol follows Psyche and Eros: a couple “enduring” a marriage of convenience while playing the political games that Olympus requires. But of course emotions will come into play eventually and complicate everything!

This book drags you deeper into the world of Olympus- showing you the political and emotional ties in place while the characters try and navigate them. It is more plot heavy than the first book, but not in the weighed-down way second books sometimes are. I care more about all the characters we were introduced to in Persephone’s book, and I can’t wait to see how their stories unfold.
Of course there is spice (it’s Katee Robert) but I think it was less than in the first book. Completely fitting for the characters though- I would not have changed a thing.
Psyche is also a fabulous heroine. She’s plus sized and confident, and others’ attitude about her weight is NOT the main point of the story! Very refreshing to read.

TW: Emotionally abusive parent, explicit sex, viole

I read the first in this series and this second book is just as incredible and worth the read. The immaculate writing, the complexity of characters and story, the emotion, the steam and intimacy, it all makes for an excellent book. I loved Psyche’s confidence even though she struggled in other ways, she loved her body and took on challenge. I loved watching Eros dig through his depths and find all his facets and himself. Together they are combustible. Excellent read.

I liked this even more than Neon Gods! I love a sweet (but spicy) romance and a totally smitten "scary on the outside, sweet on the inside" love interest. Love the curvy rep in the book as well (without it being the main plot point). I only wish it was longer, but the epilogue was such a nice touch and made for a satisfying ending. Put this on your TBR!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC!

Electric Idol is the second book in the Dark Olympus series, where Katee Robert brings in characters from Greek Mythology with a contemporary twist. In this book we follow yet another Dimitriou sister, with Psyche serving as our lead. I love Pysche and I am a huge fan of a realistic plus-size female lead who addresses what it is like to be in the spotlight as someone who isn't "conventionally beautiful" at least by Olympus standards. Although this book focuses on Psyche and Eros, we get more insight to some characters we have met before and meet a few others along the way. This includes one of my favorite characters (who I hope we get to see more of) the one and only wonderful Hermes.

I am an absolute sucker for the forced marriage/marriage of convenience/fake dating trope and have no shame in embracing that fact as I binge read through this book. Especially when you add a dash of enemies to lovers into the mix. It's safe to say if you enjoyed Neon Gods, you will enjoy Electric Idol. I do wish that this book was longer, if only that I wasn't ready for the story to end (and could have used some extra spice at the ending to really wrap it all up nicely). I am interested to see where the next book takes us as there are a lot of open ended questions left for us at the end of this book for some of our supporting characters.

I've struggled to put my finger on why I find this series so boring, and I think it has to do with marketing. This series has gotten a lot of buzz promoted alongside contemporary romance titles, but it's really romantic suspense or romantic fantasy - and I don't like either of those sub-categories. I love the covers; I'm interested in how Roberts characterizes the Greek gods, but the worldbuilding and scheming leave me cold. There's nothing WRONG with this book, it just isn't my thing.

This follow-up to the exceptionally sexy Neon Gods (inspired by the ancient myth of Hades/Persephone) follows life in cutthroat, gossipy, glittering Olympus as its new Zeus tries to find a wife. Aphrodite is determined that she will choose the lucky woman, sending her son Eros as hitman to do away with the competition, in the form of Demeter's daughter Psyche.

But Eros is fascinated by Psyche, so he proposes a marriage of convenience instead, one that will protect them from their scheming mothers, a union to fool even the most powerful in Olympus. But they both get more than they bargained for as they try to hide the truth from their families, the Olympus gossip rags--and themselves. This passionate, updated and reimagined myth, about a' reluctant villain transformed through his love for a sweet, smart woman who also happens to be a plus-size social media influencer, is a fantastic continuation of the sexy Dark Olympus series.

Thank you to Edelweiss, Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

CW: fat phobia, toxic/abusive relationship with a parent, violence

Neon Gods was one of my favorite books of this past year and this was one of my most anticipated. While I do think it can be read as a standalone I do think more would be gained by reading Neon Gods first to get a lay of the world. And also it's amazing so don't miss out.

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f Psyche/Eros retelling
-marriage of convenience
-insta attraction
-forbidden romance elements
-opposites attract
-this is just a hookup
-I hate everyone but you
-a new appreciation for mirrors
-so much sexual tension
-great secondary characters

When no one has ever been kind to you and someone shows you an ounce of kindness, and then your mother orders you to kill her. Of course you marry her. Honestly I wanted to hug Eros. Katee Robert has this amazing ability to write the most complicated heroes, yet they are so soft and on their knees for the right woman. It only took one moment and Eros was a goner and ooomf this book.

How both Psyche and Eros showed different things to the world, and let their walls down. I read this in one sitting unable to put these two down. Psyche and Eros both had their own different levels of chaos but got each other and just clicked in a way that only Katee Robert can accomplish.

I am trash for fake dating/marriage of convenience and this book hit all of those notes and more. How Eros was just so confident that Psyche was the woman for him and wanted forever, my heart clenched.

And Psyche a chaos monster in her own way I adored that she was a curvy independent woman. With insecurities and how Eros liked that even more about her. Good luck looking at a mirror the same way after this book.

Honestly now just wondering what to do with myself until the third book comes out.

Rating: 5
Steam: 4

I think I loved this one more than the first and I loved the first one so that is saying something! I enjoyed the characters and felt the plot was great and the spice was just right. Would highly recommend if looking for mythology and a spicy read.

3.75; rounding up to 4 because Goodreads still only allows full numbers.

I'll start off by saying that if you liked Neon Gods, I think you're pretty safe in assuming you'll like Electric Idol. That said, I don't know that you'll like it quite as much.

Electric Idol is the story of Eros and Psyche, but knowing the myth of Eros and Psyche won't give anything away because the book doesn't follow it at all. (Not a bad thing!) He's a hitman, she becomes his target, he doesn't want to kill her because she was a decent human being to him exactly one (1) time and he has very little experience with human kindness, enter: Marriage of Convenience trope. You love to see it. It very much *feels* like a great continuation of Neon Gods and the set up for the next book is weaved in nicely as well.
I read the book in one sitting and I had no issues with it keeping me engaged and entertained. I could have done with a little less self-deprecation from both parties if I'm being totally honest, but I get the vibe it was going for.

Where it fell off for me, personally, was that it just didn't feel like it had as much as Neon Gods. Not as much plot and not as much smut. Just overall not as much. Which makes sense when I check Goodreads and see that (if it's correct) the page count clocks in at about 140 pages less than Neon Gods. That shortening of the book is definitely felt. Where Neon Gods knocked me off my feet completely, Electric Idol is mostly a fun ride. I enjoyed the time I spent with it (and I read it in one sitting) but it just didn't have the extra Wow Factor that Neon Gods did for me.

3.5 ⭐

I liked this one!! I do wish I loved it but when you keep saying "I'm a monster" "I'm deadly" and don't really bring that monster ill kill you vibes makes Eros an okay Hero. I do wish we saw more of that monster he said he was also I so wish we saw a more possessive side to these two.. idk I just wanted more from them. Beside that they truly did balance and were good together. Eros in their world was his mother's puppet anything she said he would do and now that she wants Psyche heart because their mothers are rivals for some reason he can't do it. He doesn't know if it was because she was nice to him and helped him or something more. As for Psyche she doesn't know if she can trust Eros when he tells her the truth and the only way to save her is get married and pretend.

Now they have to fake it to everyone to keep Psy safe.. but that doesnt stop his mother from trying to kill her.

I honestly think this was KR less spicy book (in my terms of spice) I love the mirror sex but that's all the spiciness.. beside him eating her out good ;)

When I bought and read her first book on the suggestion of a co-worker, I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into. I devoured it and couldn't wait for more. This story is even better. I couldn't put it down. If you're trying to decide whether you should go with this series or that other series that's floating around out there, this is the one. I hate to compare, but this is far more superior. Request this, buy this and love it as much as I did. I can't wait until it's out and in store, it belongs on my bookcase!

I devoured this book in a day, which is a testament to how much the plot sucked me in and kept me enthralled. The characters were complex and while I'm happy at how Eros and Psyche's story wrapped up, I'm dying to know about the other characters we met. I want to know what will happen with Callisto, I want to know more about Helen and see her get a HEA.

The only detraction is that the conclusion has become a predictable one in Robert's books. Just like in The Marriage Contract, The Sea Witch, and Neon Gods it seems like the only way was for the female main character to run off and face the problem on her own. It's becoming a bit of a repetitive trope for this author.

Another fantastic Katee Robert book. If you are a fan of Robert's work, then you will definitely enjoy this spicy romance. It has all the tropes we love! Enemies to lovers, shared bed, forced marriage...yeah, it's good.

This is book 2 in the Dark Olympus story and follows another sister. Psyche knows how to play her part amongst the 13. The secret is to not get too close to anyone, project what you want the media to see, and dress to impress. Psyche was doing well too until she decided to be nice and help out a wounded Eros. Her act of kindness landed the rivals into the papers, claiming of a love affair. Naturally, Aphrodite cannot have such news about her son, plus her hatred for Demeter, means this is the perfect opportunity for her to get revenge.

Psyche's heart.

The book adapts the force marriage trope as a way to help prevent the death of Psyche and brings delicious tension between both Psyche and Eros. Eros is such a well written character. He is a puppet for his mother and feels as if he is a monster. As much as he tries to hide his true feelings, he just can't. Psyche makes him feel. It is fun to watch him deal with knowing his mother made him a monster, owning up to his own actions, and wrestling with loving a mother who was simply horrible.

This book has an HEA, in case anyone is interested. Which for these types of books, I'm so glad. You get invested in the characters so naturally you want them to be happy at the end. I'm very ready to get my hands on book 3!