ARC provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca
4.5/5 Stars

The best book in Katee Robert’s Dark Olympus series yet! This story had a much stronger plot than any of the books before and is setting up the series perfectly moving forward. The pace of the book was perfect, with a “Hunger Games” style competition moving along the romance plot. And have I mentioned the spice?! Incredible spicy scenes. I’m usually skeptical of polyamory storylines, but Katee Robert always does a great job of making sure to represent various relationships and kink communities appropriately.

If you’re going to get excited about any of her books this far, Wicked Beauty is the one to bump up your TBR.

Helen Kasios is looking to establish her own niche amongst the ruling elite of Olympus. She wants to be known for more than her beauty, more than the daughter of the old Zeus and sister to the new Zeus. She wants to earn her way into the core circle of the Thirteen based on merit. Helen's father was overly demanding, controlling of every aspect of her life, and he only saw his daughter as a pawn to be played and used to advance his agenda. After her father died Helen had hoped her brother would rule differently but he does not. Upon the death of Ares a competition is announced for Ares replacement. Helen sees this as her chance to break away and become more. Unfortunately, her brother sees this as an opportunity for himself as well. The night the champions throw their names in to the hat to compete for the title of Ares, Zeus announces the winner will receive as an additional prize Helen's hand in marriage.

Helen is not the only person in Olympus who sees the role of Ares as an opportunity to rise above their station. Achilles Kallis has lived a hard life. Orphaned as a baby he has fought many battles to earn his current position as Athena's second in command. His partner Patroclus Fotos has lived somewhat of a charmed life. His mothers raised him on the outskirts of Olympus, far away from the scheming, meddling, and politics of the Thirteen. Patroclus will do anything for Achilles, including entering his name in the competition so he can watch Achilles back and double his lover's chances at winning the title of Ares.

This is the third installment of Katee Robert's 'Dark Olympus' series and I easily and energetically give the whole series thus far a 5 out of 5 thumbs up. 'Wicked Beauty' was on my to be read list and it did not disappoint. I love a well written and original retelling of any mythos and Roberts has gone above and beyond to create a unique world with well developed and thought out character backgrounds. If you were to remove the well known Greek Mythological titles these tales would still stand on their own as entertaining and engaging stories.

Understanding the true story of Helen of Troy, her relationship with Paris, the battle Hector took on to save his brother, and Achilles and Patroclus' role in the battle of Troy I found it difficult to put aside my already developed bias towards certain characters. Helen's beauty was so well known it launched a thousand ships filled with warriors to come battle on behalf of her defense. One can't help but feel a little bit of hate for someone that beautiful, ok maybe more than a little. I already had preconceived thoughts of Paris as a spoiled brat who demanded to get his way or else. He was always the rash little brother and Hector was the brave older brother cleaning up the messes and standing up to the defend his family and country. Hector took this on even if he wasn't one hundred percent behind the actions Paris had taken. Putting all of these thoughts aside, Robert's writes Helen to be not only beautiful on the outside but someone to take notice of on the inside as well. Her whole life Helen has had to project a public persona that appears shallow and self serving in order to survive against the ravages of life in Olympus. Somehow she has not let that falseness consumer her. Achilles initially comes across as cocky and full of himself. I wanted to hate him but once that exterior came down I realized that was a hard protective shell he had had to develop to survive. Patroclus is the sweetheart of the group that pulls the triad together; he is the lovable glue. By the end of 'Wicked Beauty' I loved all three so much and understood each's potential to lead as Ares that I wasn't sure who I was rooting for to win the title of Ares!

Another excellent installment in the Dark Olympus series by Katee Robert!

This erotic romance follows Helen, Achilles, and Patroclus as they compete to fill the open position of Ares on the Thirteen's governing board and get to know each other along the way.

Each of our heroes have flaws and blindspots that make them loveable in spite of their gorgeous looks. toned bodies, and consummate expertise in their chosen professions, and it was great to learn their insecurities and see how they each complemented the others. This book focuses on the relationships between the leads and their competition for Ares, along with introducing other competitors trying to knock our heroes out of contention. So far the leads of the Dark Olympus books have not been interested in running the city, but with our new Ares, it looks like the books might be expanding to deal with the intrigues of ruling Olympus and potential new threats.

I had a bit of a rough start with the first book in this series because I had trouble with the geography and rules of Olympus city, which is mostly a non-magical place except for the river Styx and the barriers that keep Olympus away from the rest of the world. Luckily, the second book and this book do not focus on that but instead concentrate on the amazing characters. Also, the e-book comes with an excellent map that helped me out.

I'd say you could start the series with this book if you want, since there hasn't been an overarching plot before now, but why would you when all of the books are so great?

Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for providing this digital ARC.

Let me preface this review by saying that this is the first novel that I’ve read by Katee Roberts so I wasn’t familiar with her way of writing Greek mythology retellings and I was really pleasantly surprised. Being Greek, I’ve been familiar with these myths because I've grown up with them and I’ve been taught about them in school so coming across such an edgy and creative retelling was a rather exciting reading experience for me.

The story revolves around Helen of Troy, Achilles and Patroclus and it is set in a modern day Olympus where the thirteen gods who rule are in actuality titles earned or inherited and not an actual person. Thus, fate brings Helen, Achilles and Patroclus facing each other in a championship for the title of god Ares. Helen seeks freedom, Achilles seeks eternal fame and Patroclus seeks love however, while the three of them grow closer, their priorities seem to alter because of the unexpected factor of attraction that comes between them.

To begin with, I found the idea of portraying the gods not as the classic omnipotent deities but as titles that can be inherited or won, like the case of Ares’s title, very clever and creative. Furthermore, I really enjoyed how Roberts took integral bits of the original myth and gave them an interesting twist and there are many such instances interspersed throughout the book. For example, there is a reference about Patroclus confronting Hector, however, in our case Patroclus is actually saved from his tragic fate that is narrated in the original myth.
Furthermore, Roberts touches upon the theme of emotional abuse through Paris and Helen’s relationship, which is far from their original love story. Ultimately, the plot is heavily focused on the love triangle between Helen, Achilles and Patroclus and there is lots of sexual tension and attraction, there is clever teasing and when they finally indulge in this relationship between the three of them, they discover that they each have something different to offer to the whole which makes it a really balanced relationship. I would like to add here, that the explicit scenes are written in a very sensual but also tactful way, which excellently captures the deep attraction but also the feelings that underlies it all.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and especially that in this alternative story there was a happy ending not only for Helen but also for Achilles and Patroclus. It was a solid 4 out of 5 star read for me and I will definitely read the rest of the books in the Dark Olympus series.

Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert is the third book of Dark Olympus. This book follows Achilles, Patroclus, and Helen. Achilles is eager to become the next Ares. So is Helen. Achilles and his partner Patroclus plan to compete in the competition together to increase Achilles’ chances of winning. In an unexpected turn, Helen is offered as wife to whoever wins the title. Helen is unhappy with this development, so she enters the competition anyway, just as she planned. There are many who would rather see her dead than become Ares. Helen knows that the only people she can trust are Achilles and Patroclus, the pair she can’t seem to resist—and they her.

This book has a very interesting concept. I like the dark theme. I’m definitely interested in checking out the other books in this series.

Below is what will be posted on May 1 per the publishers request. Thank you for letting me read this ahead of time. I'm still forward to my purchased physical copy of this book.

Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert

The latest of the Dark Olympus series.

You know what sucks about getting an ARC of one of your favorite series (Thanks @netgalley)?!?!

You have to wait even longer for the next one to come out!!

Loved this spicy book about true love between a throuple and how the author adapts Greek mythology and intermingles things from the previous book.

Guess it's time to check out one of her other series- Wicked Villains maybe?

**Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca publishing for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change.**


!!WARNING!!
THIS BOOK WILL SINGE OFF YOUR PANTIES RIGHT OFF YOU. Proceed with CAUTION, I repeat, proceed with CAUTION.

“I'm drowning but I don't even miss the taste of air.”

Holy moly! Is it me or is it getting hot in here?? This is a Greek mythology retelling and book three in the Dark Olympus series. It is set in modern day Olympus, where the Greek gods are political titles rather than being individual deities. Wicked Beauty is a MFM, which follows Achilles, Helen and Patroclus. As tension rises In the competition to determine the next Ares, lines will be blurred. Sit back and strap in because Katee Robert is about to take you on a wild ride and you are going to enjoy every minute of it!

“Achilles will always have his gaze on the stars”

I wasn't ready for the book to end, I wanted the story to continue, to live in those pages just a bit longer. It is pure crack, when I tell you I could not put it down! Katee Robert hats off to you Queen, you have outdone yourself!! This is by far my favorite book in the series 5 stars across the board.

“When life is just a series of bad scenarios, you learn to take your pleasure and joy where you can.”

P.S. If the next book isn't about Zeus and Hera I will throw hands!!! The tension between them is palpable, they deserve their own story!!

Back in the world of Olympus, and I still have trouble keeping everyone straight. With all the names & titles sometimes it’s hard, but the author does a great job at keeping you informed.

With a triple POV, I don’t know which character I loved more. The character & relationship growth was amazing. I loved the competition to win the title, it was so badass to see these characters kick ass. It makes me want to work out while wearing glitter.

I think this might be my favorite one from this series.

This was my favorite of the series so far. I really enjoyed the main characters and how they brought out the best in each other. The tournament setting was much more exciting than all the political wrangling in previous books.

This is a second book in a series about Mount Olympus. I have been craving for this second book and it has full filled my desire. After about twelve cold showers I had finally completed this book in about 36 hours, it is that good. The whole series is different from others I read because it takes the whole myth of the gods and turns them on their head. We were all taught about Zeus, Helen of Troy, Achilles and his bad heel. But these characters are brought to life in the modern age. Olympus is it’s own Island where the ‘Thirteen’ rule and keep the land and its people safe. The roles are yours UNTIL you die. So in the first book Zeus finds an untimely end, his son takes over the role of Zeus and in this book his sister is wanting to have the role of Eris, the god of war. You have to ‘win’ the role by winning three competitions. Her brother Zeus has plans to give the winner Helen’s hand in marriage, while Helen has plans to compete. During the first of three competitions Helen finds allies in Achilles and Patroclus and to say the book gets very steamy from there is an understatement. The book follows the three through to the end where we just want to root for all three to become Eris. This was an amazing book, the characters were so lovable, funny, caring, believable, and so relatable. You couldn’t wait to get to the end to see who wins. I really love this series and will be waiting in a cold shower hoping it won’t be too long for the third one..

Wicked Beauty is the third book in Katee Robert's Dark Olympus series and focuses on the relationship between Achilles, Patroclus, and Helen Kasios. This was a much looser retelling than the other books in this series have been.

I loved Helen as the heroine in this book. She was strong and didn't need anyone to save her. I wish that we had gotten more of her backstory - I enjoyed what we got but I felt like it wasn't enough to really connect with her. The relationship between Achilles and Patroclus was great and got even better once Helen was included. I love Patroclus and he must be protected at all costs. Achilles was smug and arrogant but I thought it worked well against Patroclus' sweeter demeanor.

This book was SPICY. Consent was a main theme throughout the book and was worked into the scenes really well.

I found some of the competition scenes to be a little repetitive, and I felt like parts of the books were being told rather than shown.

I liked the book and will definitely read the next one when it comes out!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks, and Katee Robert for an eARC of this book!

Of all the books I have read Katee Roberts...this one was my favorite. Was I blushing like crazy? Yes. Did I read it in one sitting? Of course, I did. Wicked Beauty bad a very interesting love dynamic and a plot that I really enjoyed. It was great to see a female lead take on the role of a bad-ass and essentially take co trio of her own life. When Helen, sister to the new Zeus, is promised as the prize wife to the winner of the completion that will name the new Ares, she decides there is only one way forward...she enters it herself. This leads her to cross paths with Achilles and Patroclus, champions who have also entered the same competition. Their relationship blossoms into something that they all need in one aspect or another. This one definitely a great plot and I would have honestly loved for the story to have gone deeper and been a trilogy that was 500 pages per book. I am very interested to see where the story goes from here.

Thank you so much for my copy of Wicked Beauty! I enjoy reading stories about Olympus and this one did not disappoint. It is VERY steamy and if you loved the hunger games then I think you will really enjoy this.
Immediately adding this author's other books to my list to read.

So what if you took a Katee Robert romance and combined it with the Hunger Games? That’s the vibe of Wicked Beauty. Now that the old Ares is dead, Olympian hopefuls must compete in three taxing physical trials to see who will take up the new mantel. Achilles has been training for this with his partner Patroclus at his side, but one thing they hadn’t accounted for was Helen, the new Zeus’s sister throwing her hat into the ring. Helen wants to make a name for herself and be taken seriously by the city that raised her, the one thing she hadn’t accounted for was her brother adding her on as an additional prize to the victor. As things heat up, both in and out of the competition, can everyone get what they’ve always wanted?

This is my favorite of the Dark Olympus series thus far, and Helen is my favorite heroine. She’s a badass, she goes after what she wants, and she stands her ground while surrounded by people who are hoping to see her fail. The relationship that grows between her, Achilles, and Patroclus builds at a natural pace for the extraordinary circumstances. The spice starts much sooner in this book than it has in the previous books of this series and that is to be expected. It starts with a pre-established relationship in Achilles and Patroclus, so it’s understandable that it would start sooner. On my personal spice scale, I would give it a 3.8 peppers out of 5. The previous two books were closer to 3.3-3.5 out of 5. This series truly does just keep getting better. And with a possible threat on the horizon for Olympus, I can’t wait to see where Katee takes this series.

Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Helen, the beauty queen of Olympus, is the prize for the contenders winning Ares title in the traditional trials that are held. But Helen is done being the other's pawn. She contends for the Ares position herself to prove to the people who undermined her that she isn't just a pretty face. Achilles, an ambitious soldier second in command of Athena, has always dreamed to be the Ares. He is oh so confident that he will win the title. And Patroclus, his smart, pragmatic and kindhearted lover, is his strategist. Their plans go awry when Helen decided to join the competition. The couple becomes a throuple, complicating everything.
This book kept me on an edge the whole time. But it was worth it. I love Katee's writing. We get to read the point of view of the main characters. Also, I love that she focuses more on the present even when there is a past reference. We don't get to see a flashback or something like that which momentarily dislodges us from what's happening in the plot. The plot, of course, is as always, nerve-wracking. The anticipation of what happens next and the unexpected twists are amazing!
As for the characters, I'm in love with them. Helen's a savvy queen with her traumas buried deep inside her. She's lonely but very stubborn to get pushed around. Achilles is really really cocky and strong. Once he sets his mind on a target, no one can stop him- except if his loved ones are in danger. Patroclus is very level-headed and keeps Achilles out of trouble most of the time. The three characters complimented each other fantastically. They balance each other's flaws and strengths making them a power couple. Oh, don't get me started with the chemistry between them! They are really sexy. I enjoyed all the steamy scenes.
I was so happy to see Eros at the beginning and at the end. He's such an amazing friend/brother to Helen.
I found two-three grammatical and spelling errors at the beginning of the novel but I guess the copy I got isn't the final edition. The pacing was perfect, the story had equal parts of action, romance and emotion.
Anyway, I absolutely adored the story. Waiting for more of Dark Olympus.

Wicked Beauty is the third novel in the Dark Olympus series by Katee Robert. You don't strictly have to read the two earlier books to understand this one but it will help get the backstory and context of the world. This isn't a supernatural fantasy series, it's a contemporary modern day erotic romance which is loosely based on Greek mythology. This book follows Achilles, Patrocles and Helen and is told from multiple POV. I'd say this one is by far my favorite of the three books. The M/M/F pairing in this gave it a little something different from the previous novels and I was curious to see how the relationship dynamics would develop and the challenges overcome. There is still an interesting story in this one, rather than just being a book focused solely on the love scenes and romance between the MC characters. As a fan of mythology, I loved this interesting and modern take. The book is quite spicy so if that's not your thing steer clear. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

katee robert does it again! each book is better than the last and this is no exception! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book.
i have never been more in love with a set of characters! this book was absolutely phenomenal! I loved the competition for ares and the intensity of the book. by far my absolute favorite in the series thus far

Well Damn! I can't express how much I loved this book. When I heard Helens story was gonna be a manage I was so excited and I was not disappointed. One thingn I've came to terms with is this series is loosely based of the geek myth with a lot of things not matching and I am here for it. First off Helen being a bad ass and taking these games and her future into her own hands. Yes yes yes. The angry hatred between Achilles and Helen which leads to some steamy ass moments. Yes yes yes..the sweetness and clear respect between Helen and Patroclus And between Achilles and Patroclusis down right adorable.

I loved reading about the journey of discovery between these three and the growth to love and acceptance. The action with the task was magical as well.

All in all..the story kept me interested from page one to the end. I wasn't sure what the best out came would have been but Katee managed to give me the satisfying ending I didn't even know I was looking for...

Loved

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for this ARC, in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

First if all; I did not read the two first books in this series. However, I didn't really find that to be an issue in this case as the book works out just fine as a standalone (in my opinion).

I am a sucker for multiple love interests such as reverse harems and menages. That is also one of the reasons why this book caught my interest. MMF can rarely go wrong in my opinion. The spice and sexual tension... 🤌🏻

The book does however have certain triggers (ie. parental abuse) which wasn't an issue for me.

I quite enjoyed the sense of adventure in this book along with the universe the author has created. The book has a nice plot to it with villans, which I also enjoyed so it isn't all steamy spice.

The book has definitely left me wanting more and I'd like to jump into the previous books as well.

4/5 🌟

I'm addicted to Katee Robert books, but this one just didn't hit the mark for me.

I think plot-wise, it was good. A competition to decide who the next Ares--a member of the illustrious thirteen--is a good way to introduce a conflict between love interests. I liked Helen, and I liked Achilles and Patroclus.

But something about the more ~spicy~ scenes felt a little...cringey? This doesn't usually happen with Katee Robert, at least for me. She always knows how to hit the mark and the spice in Electric Idol or in The Beast, for example, is really well done!

Here, though, the writing felt clunky and rushed. It was more like telling than showing, to the point where I just wanted to skim the scenes because they just...felt off. And she normally writes triads and poly romances really well! So I was a little disappointed, because I think this could've been fantastic.

Also like, Achilles didn't *feel* like Achilles. I know this series only uses the names as names and they really have no other bearing on the characters, but like, at least Hades and Persephone felt like Hades and Persephone. You could've named Achilles, Patroclus, and Helen literally anything else and I wouldn't have noticed any difference.

Overall I thought this was enjoyable, but not exactly what I've come to expect from Katee Robert.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the advanced copy!