The perfect second book in what promises to be an epic series from Robert.

Neon Gods thrust readers into the high stakes world of Olympus, where the Thirteen rule the city and will do just about anything to keep that power -- and Electric Idol shows us exactly what that “anything” can mean.

The chemistry between Eros and Psyche is so sweet and undeniable: I have a soft spot for a hero who’s a fixer-upper, and boy howdy does Psyche help Eros fix himself up. Which, like, of course, because Psyche is a boss-ass woman who knows just how to play a crowd to maintain her power and her facade. How can we not fall for Eros, a morally-gray bad boy who accidentally really loves his super hot marriage-of-convenience wife and who thinks her career as an influencer is both valid and also impressive?

The strong sense of place that I got from Neon Gods is necessarily sacrificed here in favor of deepening our understanding of the machinations of the Thirteen: we no longer need to be convinced that some of them are the bad guys and that there are innocent people worth protecting, and so we can focus more on how deeply these power structures run throughout the city, and the way that alliances seem to shift with the breeze. It’s deeply engrossing and Robert lays down plotlines for several more books for which I am on the edge of my seat.

Just like Neon Gods, Electric Idol has the gritty coziness of a film noir, making it the perfect winter read; you can almost feel the rain pounding against the window, and it begs for a strong cup of coffee or a whiskey on the rocks. Strong heroes fall in love with beautiful, cunning heroines, and we follow right along, happily. What an engrossing read.

Disappointed. I loved the first novel.
I liked the storyline and the concept but it just doesn't work. There is too much telling and not enough showing. The over the top internal diatribes got old and boring. There needs to be more dialogue!

4.5 stars!

Katee Robert does it again. I’ve read a lot of Greek Mythology retellings & it can be hard to stand out & be different but the world of Olympus that Robert’s creates is so unique. This one was dark but not THAT dark which I liked. It’s all about balance. I loved seeing more of Hermès & Helen they are both total moods & I love their energy. ✨

Psyche. I adored her character. I loved the plus-size representation & Psyche’s journey to self-love.

I also enjoyed the pacing of this book. It was gripping when it needed to be & slow & calm when it needed to be.

If you haven’t read Neon Gods and want a great Greek mythology romance, definitely hop on it.

Utterly addictive. Out 1/18. Thank you @netgalley @sourcebookscasa for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Age: 18+
Spice: 3/5
Tropes: Marriage of Convenience & Sent to kill you

Wow. What a book. When I tell yall aI screamed when I got this in my NetGalley notifications, I think my roommate wanted to murder me. I probably cried a little too. I have been following Katee on TikTok for a while now and have started to read her books and really enjoy her writing style. This book is very fast-paced, for those of you who like to read within a day, this is the book for you.

I really enjoyed the relationship between Eros and Psyche. Their banter and inner monologue were something that kept me going. I always wanted to read Eros' POV when it came to certain situations. I also heavily enjoyed that Psyche's inner monologue recognized she was plus-size, and she loved her body, and there wasn't this constant talk about her body. (yes there was some fatphobia from other characters but it was necessary for the sense that it helped see how Psyche and Eros dealt with it). As a plus-size woman myself. I enjoyed that Eros excepted Psyche and didn't over talk about how much "bigger" she was.

In this book, I also enjoyed the development of the relationship between Eros/Psyche and the side characters that make me excited to read the next book. (I won't name names due to this being a spoiler-free review).

Now, the spice of the book. I think that this book does go into more detail when it comes to the spicy scenes. Is it the spiciest thing I have ever read? No. However, I will acknowledge that for some, this might be really spicy. I think that Katee does a great job when it comes to the balance between plot sexual tension- and spicy scenes. This being one of the reasons I enjoy reading her books so much.

4.5/5

The tagline used to market this book is "A modern retelling of Psyche and Eros that's as sinful as it is sweet." After reading (and loving) Neon Gods, my expectations were that this would be a love story full of "sinful" sex. I was surprised to find that Electric Idol is different from Neon Gods. It's much less of an erotic novel and more of a regular romance (although it still has sex!). After I adjusted my expectations to accommodate this revelation, I was treated with a well-written fake dating/marriage trope love story that made my heart swoon.

Eros is his mothers' fixer; his mother gives him a target threatening her position as Aphrodite and he takes them out. He has a lot of blood on his hands and doesn't feel worthy of love. He thinks himself to be a monster. Psyche, on the other hand, is one of the Dimitriou sisters - She's a social media influencer who, like Persephone (before her marriage to Hades) tries to stay out of the drama of Olympus. Her mother, Demeter, angers Aphrodite by trying to set Psyche up with the new Zeus, and Aphrodite orders Eros to kill her. Eros finds that he can't do it, and in order to avoid his mothers' wrath, he and Psyche decide to get married, hoping that that will hold Aphrodite off.

One of my favorite parts of this book was the plus-size representation. Psyche is a fat character, and Robert does not shy away from saying that. She's not just called curvy (as is the case in many books that claim to have plus-size representation), she is fat, and she's not ashamed of it. Eros doesn't love her "regardless" of her fatness - he loves her whole being, inside and out. As someone who has been considered "plus-sized" at various points in my life, it's wonderful to have that representation because it reminds me that my weight does not define my desirability and I am worthy of having someone love me AND my body, regardless of what it looks like.

This book may not have as much sex or kink as Neon Gods, but the scenes they do have are just as hot! Psyche and Eros have incredible chemistry, and it was so fun to watch their relationship unfold. I really enjoyed this book!

(review will be shared on social media during the proper time frame)

Electric Idol is a spicy, modern re-telling of Psyche and Eros. I enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers and marriage of convenience tropes, and appreciated the plus-size representation we got in Psyche. Although the characters felt a bit service level, the steam and chemistry were definitely there. Overall a light and enjoyable read that I would recommend to fans of Scarlett St. Clair and Laura Thalassa!

Thank you NetGalley and Casablanca for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. Electric Idol by Katee Robert will be released on January 18th, 2022.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the author for an advanced reader copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I was going to. I gave Neon Gods a 4.5 star rating and didn’t have many expectations going into Electric Idol. But it didn’t disappoint. I adore Psyche as a main character and I loved her with Eros. They’re complex characters in their own right and I loved watching them come to terms with each other. It was such a good read. I usually don’t love the fake dating/marriage of convenience trope, but I surprisingly loved it in this book. Would highly recommend! Can’t wait for the next book in this series.

Thank you so much to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc!!

I absolutely loved Neon Gods and flew through it. This one was an equally quick read and the smut was unparalleled, but it felt a litte bit....overdramatic? That feels like a silly comment, because certainly the entire concept of this series is built to be overdramatic. Perhaps I just didn't connect with Eros and Psyche, making me feel a little bit disconnected from the goings-on. I did love the fake-dating but it felt very insta-lovey.

I will certainly continue with the series, if only for the smut, but this wasn't my favorite!

This was a nice, fun read, fast paced and light. I loved the banter between Psyche and Eros, as always, and I absolutely loved Eros, which makes sense since he's the mysterious bad guy. I also loved the relationship between Psyche and her bad ass sisters.

It's kinda half full of spice, although it's classified as Erotica, I didn't find it that erotic.

There was also a fair amount of typos which I contacted the author about but she didn't get back to me

**ARC Review
Electric Idols is my favourite book so far (out of the two in the series). Psyche and Eros have great chemistry, and their love/relationship wasn't rushed and very enjoyable. I personally really liked Eros's character development in general. Psyche was also another character that was well written. Even though it was a marriage of convince...kinda of the story made sense. My favourite part of any Katee Robert's book is the ending because she knows how to solve the book's conflict well, and make it very believable.

The story was well paced, the character's and their dynamic was believable and enjoyable. I loved their love story, I would highly recommend!

I am even more invested in this series and the Dimitriou sisters than I was after reading Neon Gods! Psyche was the sister that I was the most intrigued by in the first book and that held throughout Electric Idol. Then there was Eros who had all the dark and broody energy that I loved about Hades with the cinnamon roll factor and a dash of trauma. I'm also a sucker for a well done marriage of convenience trope and bonus, enemies to lovers too! The only reason I gave it four stars is due to a personal reader preference. Details stick with me easily throughout a book and when points about a character’s background, or perceptions, circumstance, etc get repeated frequently, it drives me a little bananas. I understand the purpose of rehashing for readers who may not retain the information but it gets overly repetitive for me. That being said, I'm still buying all the other Dimitriou sister books! I'm hoping there will be more at least. Please, please, PLEASE write books for Callisto and Eurydice!

This hit me as a book that was trying really hard to build up tension and suspense, and the ending...kind of met that expectation? A marriage of convenience trope, the romance was a little rushed, but one thing I will give Robert is that her characters have their communication channels wide open. There is also some really nice character development for both the MCs. Not the spiciest, but a quick read if you enjoy being in this world. 2.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think I liked Electric Idol more than I did Neon Gods. That is, I think it’s more consistent throughout while lacking some of the highs of the first book (that throne scene, right?). Also I think the marriage of Eros and Psyche is a bit less iconic than Hades and Persephone myth-wise—or at least it is for me—so the story felt a touch less resonant in general. On other hand, KR brings her usual awareness of consent, agency, social and sexual power dynamics to the material so … err … there’s no allegories for sinful lust here or locking women up in adamantine chains (or, at least, I feel if women were locked up in adamantine chains in a KR book it would be because they were up for it).

As I mentioned in my review of Neon Gods, I struggled a bit with the world-building in that book: not because it was flimsy but because it was both flimsy AND TOO MUCH. I’m glad to say that it felt like there was less work to do in that regard now the setting had been established, although the background intriguing continues to be the least interesting aspect of this series. It’s just distracting, compared to the complexities of the character dynamics—and tends to drag the pacing down.

Anyway: the deal here is that Eros is his mother’s hitman and fixer and general on-call monster. After he’s caught on camera with Psyche (despite there being nothing between them), Aphrodite commands him to literally murder her. Except Eros, troubled by either his conscience or his genitals, can’t bring himself to do it and ends up marrying Psyche instead, in the hope this will keep her safe from his mother.

There’s a lot about this to make me squeeful. I do love me a marriage of convenience. And, despite how problematic a trope it is, a hero who believes he’s a monster. And I found I had a better sense of who Psyche was compared to Persephone. I’m always here for a fat heroine (I’m using the word fat in the descriptive, rather than pejorative sense, and also because it’s the word the heroine uses for herself) and, much like Tink in A Worthy Opponent, I feel KR does a fantastic job of allowing Psyche to be confident in who she is while not pretending that deviating from conventional beauty standards is a walk in the park socially-speaking. There’s a really well observed moment where Psyche has just run off with Eros and he pulls the ol “worry not, I will buy you an entire new wardrobe” move that is so popular with romance heroes. Whereupon Psyche turns round and is like, that is literally not possible for someone shaped like me because finding clothes to fit my body is takes time and care. It’s also just nice to have a fat heroine and a conventionally attractive hero who is non-fetishistically just *gone* for her. Again, there’s shades of Tink and Hook here, but Eros and Psyche are very much their own people.

For all I really need to interrogate my love for “I am a monster for everyone but you”, I sincerely enjoyed Eros as a hero. I liked how damaged he is, and has been, by the violence in which he’s been forced to participate, and it was meltingly sweet how profoundly he reacts to Psyche’s acts of kindness and care-taking (themes that continue from the first book). The bonking is probably best characterised as rough vanilla—but I appreciated the focus on intimacy and intensity over throwing in kink for the heck of it. It felt right for these two characters, especially Eros, who above all craves closeness and connectedness.

All of which said, while I loved the characters and was swept along with them for at least the first half of the book, the wheels came off for me just a little at the 60% mark. This is when the intriguing comes back with a vengeance—with Aphrodite trying to flat out murder Psyche regardless of the political fallout, and the inclusion of a set of scenes that seemed to be primarily set up for the next book (of which I believe Helen is the heroine*), all of which just got in the way of Eros and Psyche working their way towards a recognition of mutual love. There’s some emotional conflict thrown in as well, with Eros thoroughly convinced he is undeserving, and Psyche scared for her heart: but while the former felt fully embedded in his character, the latter felt … less so? I mean, I have nothing but empathy for romance characters with wary hearts, who are afraid of having them broken, but on this occasion it felt like a delaying tactic rather than a natural obstacle towards a HEA. (Again, compare to Meg in Learn My Lesson whose emotionally damaged wariness is absolutely integral to her character from the moment she appears on page).

Plus, I think I was looking for … more? Less intrigue, more emosh, especially because Eros and Psyche are so amazing on page together. I appreciated that Psyche had both the courage and wherewithal to resolve the external “imma murder you now” conflict, without recourse to violence or ethical compromise. But I wish there’d been more of the relationship between Eros and Aphrodite: at the point the book opens, Eros basically knows she’s manipulating him, so he’s mostly just annoyed and frustrated, chafing against her control, and never feels truly vulnerable to her. Given how much emotional power she’s wielded over him over the course of his lifetime I guess I wanted to see him work through that more, even if just with Psyche (rather than ‘trying to murder his wife’ simply being the last straw in a succession of dick moves his mother has subjected him to). And I guess—in a book inspired by the Greek gods and the myths around them—it fits that Aphrodite is just a capricious, irrational prick who emotionally abuses her own son and is arbitrarily fatphobic. But … I don’t know. I don’t think a touch of nuance would have damaged her as a villain (especially because Demeter is ambitious, complex and seems to be treading this blade-thin line between loving her kids and using them).

Before I wrap this, I should mention that both Eros and Psyche are bisexual in the way that Hades and Persephone are bisexual in Neon Gods. And I continue to be ambivalent about it.
Which is not to say (as I said last time) bisexuality only counts if you’re screwing every gender you can lay your hands on but I’m kind of noticing a trend, not just with this series, but in other romances, where characters who end up in m/f relationships are textually flagged as bisexual. And yet, how can I say this, the bisexuality doesn’t seem to *mean* anything or the shape the character in any way. At which point, it’s just a word on the page. And I don’t think this is true of KR, because many of her characters feel queer (well, feel queer to me but that’s just me, I’m not the queer pope) and are engaged in queer relationships, but I don’t think I like this trend in general. And I’m definitely not trying to gatekeep who gets to write bisexual characters, or how bisexual characters should be written: but it’s hard for me to feel represented by characters who are queer identified but for whom its nothing more than a socially progressive label that doesn’t seem to have anything to do with who they are or how they exist in the world. But again, who knows. Maybe for some people queerness is that simple. And, y’know what, if it is… I guess that’s cool.

Anyway, as ever my attempt to discuss a KR book has led me down various rabbit holes. I will say, that I’m continuing to find this series fascinating and I’m excited to see where it goes. I absolutely loved the relationship between Eros and Psyche, and the way KR consistently re-works guilty-pleasure romance tropes into entirely-guiltless-pleasures is a masterclass in the sexiness of agency, equality and consent between sexual and romantic partners. I will never not admire the fuck out of that.

* I rescind this objection. I have just heard the next book is Helen, Achilles and Patroclus. SET IT UP ALL YOU LIKE, KR.

“You might be a monster, Eros, but you’re my monster.”

Electric Idol is the second book in the Dark Olympus series by Katee Robert. It can be read as a standalone. If you want a spicy retelling of Eros and Psyche this is the book for you!

This book is a dual POV and it follows Eros, son of Aphrodite, who has been ordered to kill Psyche. Eros struggles to complete this order by his mother, and instead decides to marry Psyche. This fake marriage lines get blurred while tensions rise in Olympus.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I am obsessed with Eros. WHAT A MAN. The spice was amazing like usual from Katee Robert (let's just say Eros has a lot of mirrors in his home)

I 100% recommend reading this book

I loved Neon Gods so so much!!
But I never thought I would enjoy Electric Idol so much more!
The storyline wasn't too fast-paced although the story happens on a couple of days. I truly enjoyed reading their story.

Their chemistry and banter make their relationship so much better. I love it when the male love interest is sent to kill the MC but decides to save her instead!!
Psyche is truly the star of the story. We stan a selfless plus size queen.

All I can say is that you don't wanna miss on reading Electric Idol because it is a fantastic story!!

Psyche is used to playing a specific type of public persona. She has to be while living in Olympus otherwise the vultures will tear her apart. Not only for being a part of the thirteen, but also because she's not what you would consider conventionally "beautiful." Pysche is plus sized and not afraid to own it.

Eros has his own persona to uphold. He does his mothers bidding. When she has an obstacle in her way, she relies on Eros to eliminate that pesky little problem. Usually Eros doesn't have any issue with doing as he's told. Except this one time when it's Pysche who his mother wants destroyed. Eros defies her and decides to keep Psyche safe any which way he can. Marriage seems to be the only course of action to protect themselves for the time being. Will they be able to pull of the ruse to a city that watches the thirteen like hawks on any given day?

I absolutely loved this modern take on Eros and Pysche. And while I am not familiar with the Greek tale of these two - I think that Katee Robert did a wonderful job sucking me into this world in Electric Idol. I fell hard for both Eros and Psyche. Their modern marriage of convenience + fake dating was so perfectly angsty.

The amount of vulnerability that these two display had my heart fluttering so many times. They were often stuck between a rock and a hard place and yet both of them only wanted what was best for the other. I feel like the vulnerability between these two also made the more intimate scenes in Electric Idol so so so hot.

I have so many scenes highlighted! I can't wait to re-read this book again. The suspense, the drama, the romance (and steam) definitely put it up there as a book I highly recommend. I can't wait to see which sister's story will be next!

Hot, sweet, and soooo much pining.

"Electric Idol" is the second in Katee Robert's Dark Olympus series. Eros & Psyche's story is centered around a marriage of convenience with a bit of enemies-to-lovers flavor. I didn't quite get the appeal of Psyche's socialite/influencer career, but she is a totally lovable character and such a sweet match for Eros. And I am absolutely LOVING the trend of these deadly badass Dark Olympus heroes who are totally soft for our leading love interests.

One thing I would love to see as this series progresses is more world building. I have so many questions about the background and culture of Olympus, especially since the city features so heavily in the plot. Why is it blocked off from the rest of the world? How did the leadership structure develop? Luckily, these books are a delight to read and have a ton of feeling, even if they seem to be missing any significant background.

I am absolutely looking forward to reading more from Dark Olympus!

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the eARC.

Electric Idol is the second book in the Dark Olympus standalone series by Katee Robert. This series is set in a modern Olympus and is a spin on Greek mythology. Book 2 is a stars-crossed and marriage of convenience romance about Psyche, Demeter's daughter, and Eros, Aphrodite's son. Demeter and Aphrodite have been enemies for a very long time. When Aphrodite orders Eros to kill Psyche as a way to get to Demeter, Eros decides at the last minute that he is done doing his mother's bidding. His solution: he will marry Psyche so that she is untouchable. But even after they marry, the new couple face danger at every turn while they explore their new and intense connection.

I am so impressed by Katee Robert's storytelling in this series! She takes snippets of Greek mythology and she has weaved those ideas into a modern world filled with romance, intrigue, and entertaining drama. This book has major mafia vibes mixed with royals vibes and I really dug it!

I love that Robert featured a plus size heroine in this book. I hate that Psyche's body has to become a part of the storyline because size should not matter, but unfortunately, that's how the world is. Despite the body shaming Psyche has to endure, she is confident and comfortable in her skin. I like that she is a strong and independent woman who can take the reins in any challenging situation.

Psyche is able to turn Eros into a man who wants to do better and that's a major feat, considering that he is a murderer/assasin. They have an intense and consuming connection and although their instincts are to protect their hearts, they can't help but fall in love with each other. I loved their HEA - it was a sweet ending to book about romance with a dark beginning.

Steam level: 🔥🔥🔥
⚠️: attempted murder, gun violence, body shaming, emotional abuse from a parent

Wow - a fantastic read! I have always been a fan of Greek mythology, and this modern retelling totally brings these beings into a new world. I loved how fleshed out the characters were and how they were portrayed in a very unique way. Fantastic writing! After finishing this book, I immediately ordered "Neon Gods" (the first instalment, Persephone's and Hades' story, as well as a number of Robert's other books. I cannot wait for "Electric Idol" to be published as I MUST have a physical copy!

Firstly, I’d like to thank Net Galley & the Publishing House for granting me early access to read this books ARC! I devoured it and loved every moment!

Storyline: This is book #2 in the Dark Olympus series, focusing on the retelling of Psyche & Eros. The children of Demeter & Aphrodite respectively, they are in the middle of their mothers long term feud. When Aphrodite demands her son, also her enforcer, to bring her Psyche’s heart LITERALLY, to protect the woman he barely knows, but is mysteriously attracted to, they devise a plan of their own to thwart Aphrodite. They are getting married as a ruse.

Spice: 2/5 - This book wasn’t as kinky/ sexually taboo as Neon Gods, however, it was still steamy and true to Kate Robert’s!

My Fave: But what this book lacked in kink, it made up for in better character development. Honestly, I loved both of these characters from the start! Psyche is a plus sized, social media influencer, that for the most part, could care less about others opinions of her. Eros views himself as a monster, always getting his hands dirty, even killing, for his mother. He totally gives of the grumpy-sunshine, I’ll kill for her mentality that makes you as a reader so jealous of. When they are together, they both have to question how genuine the others kind, adoring words are that always builds up the suspense.

Also, I felt like the drama from Aphrodite was so much more chaotic than the Zeus storyline in Neon Gods, that I was more captivated! I loved that you never really know what he is going to do and how this storyline ends out. Surprise, the ending was not what I anticipated and I loved it!

After finishing this book I’m not sure what my next TBR is going to be. Another Katee Robert’s book, or more Greek mythology retellings!?! The fact I’ve now read the only two that fits both has me already feeling a Reading slump! SOS!

Final Review: 4.75/5