The Song of Achilles is one of my absolute favorite reads. So think of this as the "adult" version of it. Once again, I fell in love with the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus. The way they interacted with each other both emotionally and sexually, and being so connected and caring for each other. By far, my favorite of the Dark Olympus series.

Wicked Beauty is a reimagining of a competition for the seat of Ares and a position as one of the 13 gods of Olympus. Helen, Achilles, and Patroclus are all competing, with Helen also being the prize. This is a steamy, fast-paced and action-packed tale of some mythological figures in a mythological time who form a three-way bond then must decide whether or not to break it, or find a way for them all to win.

The audio-narration was on pointe.

I freaking love Katee Robert. I didn't think I would like this one as much as the others for several reasons, but it ended up shattering any expectations. A wonderful addition to the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me listen early!

WICKED BEAUTY, book 3 in the Dark Olympus series, amps up both the steam and the tension of the series as Helen, Petroclus, and Achilles all vie for the coveted position on the inner circle. Each one has something to lose (or prove, in Helen’s case), and the stakes are high for all. Though in true fashion for this series, what’s a little competition without some romance?! And there was definitely plenty of romance. ⁣
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Fast-paced and filled with plenty of the morally gray and overly-ambitious characters I’ve grown to expect from this series, there was never a dull moment. Readers know that the city of Olympus is ruthless and filled with those who seek power, but this book highlights how cutthroat and dirty people will become to seize that power. Helen, Petroclus, and Achilles all have their reasons for wanting to win the spot in the circle, but they’re smart enough to realize that perhaps teamwork is the way to win, rather than simply competing against one another, and they manage to reach a mutually beneficial agreement that works for all involved. Though whoever wins will have quite the load on their plate because danger has come knocking right on Olympus’s door.⁣
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I listened to the audio version of the book and the performance was perfection on the part of the female narrator. I wasn’t overly fond of the male narrator this time around, and I think it’s because he narrated for two characters instead of one. There wasn’t enough differentiation between the voice he used for Petroclus vs Achilles, and I had a hard time remembering who was speaking.
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⁣All told, WICKED BEAUTY is the steamiest in the series yet, and brought the most tension in terms of storyline and overarching plot. If this book was any indication, things are about to get brutal in the city of Olympus, and I can’t wait to see how that plays out in future installments. 5 stars for the actual story, 3 stars for narration.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Adore these books so much and Alex Moorcock should narrate everything. Cannot wait to see what is to come in the series

I was a little disappointed in this one. I love Katee roberts but I didn’t like the relationship between the 3 I didn’t like that they set out a boundary and Achilles immediately broke it

I'm going to need some diagrams...

Perfect for those of you looking for something in that elusive subgenre- m/m/f romance set in an American Gladiators/ Hunger Games arena. Hard to find, I understand.

Although part of a series, you do not need to read the previous titles, nor do you need to know much about Greek mythology to enjoy. And for this title, it's probably best you don't as you'll be rather upset that KR chose Helen instead of Briseis as the female in this triad.

Audiobook has a single narrator, and he does well expressing the desire and urgency of all the characters, but I think three separate narrators would have improved the telling.

I am absolutely fascinated by the mafia-style politics of Katee Robert's Dark Olympus. The idea of the 13 Olympians being titles passed from one person to another instead of one immortal being is fun and creative. Seeing the families and players make alliances, plan assassinations, outwit each other, and compete for the titles itches my brain. I already knew before reading this that open relationships and thruples are not my favorite relationships in books, so I didn't expect this to be my favorite so far in the series. But I wanted to read this anyway because I didn't want to miss any of the Olympus political developments. And this story did not disappoint. I will read pretty much anything Robert puts out in this series.

The first thing I have to say about this book is that it has the perfect narrators. I couldn't imagine listening to any of the Dark Olympus series read by anyone else. They make this world come alive.

The series as a whole keeps getting more interesting. This is the first book that doesn't have a Dimitriou family member as a main character, and is loosely based on the story of Helen of Troy. I love how Robert takes the myth and makes it her own in this dark and political Olympus. It fits nicely in with what we have learned from the previous installments, and sets up much more drama to come. It does all this while giving us the romance and action we're expecting when picking the book up.

Katee Robert definitely sneaks into my dreams because there is simply no way that she can time and time again capture the exact visceral emotions I want to feel when reading a romance novel so perfectly. There is a wolf inside of me that controls my ID and Katee is just spoonfeeding it with this book.

Wicked Beauty is the third book in the Dark Olympus series and kicks off with Helen Kasios learning that her hand in marriage will be the prize in a competition to be the next Ares. Helen shocks everyone by entering herself. She's determined to win, even if it means defeating Achilles Kallis and Patroclus Fotos, the competitors she's quickly falling for.

Robert writes poly relationships so beautifully and knows exactly how to create the perfect balance of strengths between them. I loved how protective they all felt over each other, the early jealousy any time two paired off (before they realized how perfectly they all worked together), and the angst of knowing that getting the thing you want most in the world means taking it from the person you love. Action, adventure, intrigue, romance, and (of course) Robert's signature scorching heat made this a winner for me. I cannot wait for the next installment in this series.

Alex Moorcock and Zara Hampton-Brown narrate the audiobooks in this series and do a really phenomenal job of capturing the character's voices and emotions. I've listened to both this book and Neon Gods, and definitely want to re-read Electric Idol on audio to hear their take on it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Katee Robert just doesn't disappoint me ever! She can literally do no wrong in my eyes honestly! This is one of my favorite books by her to date and it just makes me more excited to continue to read all of her work.

I love that in this throuple started with the male characters in a relationship before the woman was introduced. That does not happen often but wow did I love it! I also love that it was enemies to lovers between one of the male character and the female character while the other guy and the girl were friends in the past first!

I also listened to the audiobook and wow, the narrators were incredible! It added a lot to my experience.

I can't say enough good things about this series and this book. You are missing out if you don't read it!

There are so many people that have said this was their favorite book of the series so far, but that wasn't the case for me. My favorite so far is Electric Idol.

I didn't like Achilles for most of this book. I liked Helen and she grew on me throughout the book. One of my favorite things about her is her determination and never giving up. Her sass was a lot of fun, too. My favorite character in this book was Patroclus.

We learn some things in this book that have me really excited for the next book in this series! I hope we get some answers to questions that we're left with at the end of the book.

Thank you to Dreamscape for the advanced copy of this book.

I'm still convinced that audio is the best way to read this series, as the narrators once again delivered an outstanding performance.

This is probably my least favorite of the series so far, and I think it's just because I wanted a little more when it came to certain parts.

Robert created this really cool competition for the MCs to compete in and the scenes where they're competing are some of the best in the book! If Robert wanted to write an adventure or Hunger Games esque book I'd totally read it. Her competition was creative and the scenes were exciting and fun, and I wanted there to be more. The competition scenes were "get in, get out" vs playing them out a little more.

One of the other things that set this book apart as being a little different from the others is you're missing some of the Olympus drama. The three MCs are pretty much sequestered in a building by themselves for the entirety of the book so you miss the aspects you normally get to see when it comes to other characters. Hermes and Dionysus only appear once if that gives you any indication.

Don't get me wrong, I still liked this book. I still love this series and I'll definitely keep reading these! This just hasn't been my favorite one so far.

Yes, yes, yes! Love the plot and action in this one. And the DRAMA and the STEAM! Katee Robert is a queen.

I just want to first say how much I am loving this series and the stories of Olympus with my favorite being the first. Helen’s story is excellent, but it introduces a whole new dynamic! Very unique! I can’t wait to read more in this series!

4.5 stars.
While this started off a bit slow for me it really picked up and I ended up reading the last half all in a single sitting.
I adore Patroclus the most but all three of the main characters felt distinct and exciting. I love how the throuple felt like they each had something to offer both of the others in the relationship.
Besides having a slow start the only other thing that I didn't completely love is the ending. It felt very abrupt and seemed like there could have been another chapter at least.
All of the characters had identifiable voices and personalities in the audiobook. Helen's narrator especially embodied both sides of her personality stunningly.

I'll admit, I came into this one with kinda low expectations. I really enjoyed Neon Gods (book 1) and the modernized world of Olympus being presented. But after Electric Idol (book2), I was already getting tired of the series. Book 2 just felt WAY too much like book 1 to me. So, I started Wicked Beauty already having decided that if there couldn't be something different, I was going to end up walking away from the Dark Olympus series.

Side note: I read this as an audiobook, as I have the entire series, and I absolutely LOVE Zara Hampton Brown and Alex Moorcock as narrators.

Thankfully, Wicked Beauty did in fact break out of the relationship structure that both Neon Gods and Electric Idol both seemed to follow. Not only because of the poly relationship, but because the characters themselves were different than we'd seen before. Neither Achilles or Patroclus were "unlovable monsters" and Helen was not a girl just trying to find a way to live her own life under the thumb of Olympus. I was also pleasantly surprised by the overall plot. Instead of someone spending the whole book trying to kill our female MC, we are treated to the competition to name the next Ares. And I loved the action that the competition brought.

As individual characters, I immediately loved Helen and Patroclus. Helen is strong, knows exactly what she wants, and is willing to fight for it. Patroclus is just plain lovable. Achilles took more warming up to and I don't think I ever really loved him, but he was the perfect match for this trio. Although it took me some time to even support this relationship. There was even a point where I was even considering DNFing. Open and poly relationships may not be something I have any experience with, but regardless of the type of relationships in this book, trust needs to play an important role. And the trust in Achilles and Patroclus' relationship was messed with the moment Helen walked in and that was never truly dealt with. From where I'm sitting, there was actual betrayal and it was just glossed right over. I nearly gave up on the book (and the series) when I realized that wasn't going to be addressed in any meaningful way, but overall I'm glad I kept going. I may not like how their relationship started, but I was fully behind these three and their happiness by the end.

Overall, a 3.5/5 that I'm rounding up for the quality of the narrators.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing me with an audio galley in exchange for an honest review.

When I read the description for this book and realized it was going to be a thruple situation, I was practically jumping for joy at the chance to read/listen to this one!

Wicked Beauty is a sort of kind of retelling of Helen of Troy, Achilles, & Patroclus.

Helen wants to be a member of the 13, so does Achilles. So when the position of Ares is up for grabs Helen and Achilles are ready to compete against a group of others for the chance of winning. Achilles has his Patroclus, his nonmonogamous live-in boyfriend, to help by joining in the completion as well.

Helen, on the other hand, has no one. She is on the outs with her family after "enrolling" in the completion because they offered up her as the prize for the winners.

While in the competition, both men are drawn to Helen. And ... Things take a sexy turn pretty quickly.

Honestly, I was all for it, but there was a lot of insecurities between Achilles and Patroclus before Helen. I can't help but wonder how and why they weren't even more intense when they both started developing feelings for her.

The smut was perfect.

But all in all I was like boo Helen, move over for more Patroclus and Achilles. They were each other's number one and I would have been fine if they dropped her.

Now for the narration, the performers did great jobs.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my ARC audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

***Spoiler time***



Okay, I really, really thought in the end that Patroclus should have won the title of Ares, for the sake of their thruple. Also, I can't help but wonder if they were now monogamous or not. And if there was a marriage, how would that work? I mean Achilles even mentioned it (marrying Helen) at the end again, but again I am like, what about marrying the man you have loved for like over a decade?

Katee Robert can do no wrong. This book was just as perfect as the others in the series (as well as the books in her other series) 5 stars. Highly recommended

This is the 3rd Installment in the Dark Olympus series. This is a modern retelling of Helen of Tory, Achilles, & Patroclus This book does not disappoint in the spicy & steamy department. You could read this book for chapters 15 & 16 and be satisfied (you’re welcome).

I am kind of obsessed with these books and how they are evolving with the plot and connecting together. And the steam in the book is 🥵🥵🥵

I would definitely recommend this and reading the first two in the series as well.

I can’t wait to see what Katee has up her sleeve with book 4!

Melli’s Book Breakdown
🤍🍆🍆🍆🍆🍆🍆
🤍RH (2 guys 1 girl)
🤍LBGQ
🤍Fantasy Romance
🤍Greek Mythology Retelling
🤍very spicy & steamy