(Actual: 3.5⭐, rounded up) Love Katee Robert and was so excited to be approved for this one since I really enjoy the "Dark Olympus" series. These books are always high drama (with quality spice haha) and such a breeze to get through - the perfect summer/beach read! That said, while I do still think pacing is always a bit of an issue with this series (everything almost always feels super rushed in the back third), I did still have a great time reading it and would def recommend the series out to anyone looking for a drama series loosely based off of Greek mythology.

Katee is definitely an autobuy author for me. You should totally follow her because she has great content. I loved meeting her in April she's so awesome!

This is a polyamory romance with open relationships. 😊♥️🔥🍆💦
The new Hephaestus (formerly Theseus) is in an arranged marriage with Aphrodite (formerly Eris). She is playing the political game and trying to get under his skin flirting with his bestie Pandora. While Aphrodites ex Adonis is helping Heph - "helping". I really liked them together. But then them all together was something special. I love these books!!
While all this is happening there are attempts happening on the 13 which Minos isn't taking credit for. But someone is sowing seeds of discord with the people who live in Olympus.

Definitely check out:
🔥 Polyamory MMFF
🔥 Greek mythology (loosely based since current)
🔥 Political intrigue
🔥 Marriage of convenience
🔥 Enemies to Lovers

Thank you sourcebookscasa for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

A new romance in the Dark Olympus series by Katee Robert. This time we have the story of Aphrodite and the new Hephaestus, the former Theseus. There is a secondary story with these two involving Pandora and Adonis. If you love this series, this should be more of all the good stuff.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this e-arc.*

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC!
- I wasn't sure how this many POVs were going to work, especially with how much political back and forth goes on in these books, but Katee Roberts managed to pull it off! I found each POV to be distinct enough that I rarely forgot whose chapter I was reading.
- I thought this balanced all the characters, plots, and ~spice~ well, and I was impressed at the pacing throughout. I kept needing to read more because there was always something going on that made you want to read the next section.
- these characters definitely fall more into the morally grey area, even compared to some of the previous books. I did like how developed all the backstories were, and I think it worked well since most readers will already have seen how brutal the setting is for any character.
- I loved seeing so many of the former MCs from the first four books throughout, but it is starting to get tricky to remember who is who when we knew so many of the 13 by a different name at some point. Despite this, I think Robert does a great job of trying to remind people who is who without it interfering too much with the action.

This book was so messy and I was here for it!

Aphrodite and Hephaestus enter into a political marriage and then decide to get revenge on each other. Aphrodite gets with Pandora and Hephaestus gets with Adonis. This was messy and chaotic and fun. I will say the overall plot of the series really didn’t get furthered in this book at all which I was pretty bummed about. It really just showed the fallout of Radiant Sin and not much else. Also I felt like Pandora was just kind of left to the wayside. It felt like Adonis, Aphrodite and Hephaestus all had a solid threesome and pandora was just there which I didn’t really love. Additionally this whole marriage came out because Aphrodite felt a duty as a member of the 13 and as a leader of Olympus but then at the end they both renounce their seats on the thirteen so it didn’t really matter. I don’t know that just felt weird to me, they were both so about their seats and positions of power and then both gave them up.

I liked this book in general I just don’t think it needed to be a part of the main series because I don’t really see what it did to further the plot.

This is the fifth book in the dark Olympus series. This is currently one of my favorite series to read. Aphrodite and Hephaestus marry for political reasons, and in order to keep the 13 in tact politically. Aphrodite decides to seduce FSS, his best friend, Pandora, while Heohaestus pursues, Aphrodite’s ex Adonis. So essentially, we have a book that has enemies become lovers, while being in a marriage of convenience, and pursuing revenge against each other, which in turn causes a poly knot to form.

I really enjoyed the book. I thought that the relationships between the characters were not only steamy but complicated as well. I also enjoy the relationships were being pursued, while there is all the other politics going on with the 13 and in fact the entire city. both Hephaestus and Aphrodite have childhood that weren’t the best and it’s interesting to see how they have more in common than they actually realize. Adonis and Pandora could’ve been casualties in the war later turned relationship between Hephaestus and Aphrodite, but they were in fact, a linchpin to what made a relationship stronger . This is a complicated book which keeps you intrigued from the start to the finish. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.

This whole series has been great. And spicy. But this one - phew!

The four main characters were all fantastic, and the angst and tension was strong! And the feelings ran deep!

Many thanks to NetGalley and SourceBooks Casablance for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca and the author for allowing me to read an early copy of this book.
Picking up right where it left off in Radiant Sin, we now see the repercussions of the tournament in which Helen became Ares and the infamous events in the party that led Theseus to become Hephaestus. Nothing better to neutralize an enemy than to marry him, and perhaps kîll him too. That's the idea behind Aphrodite's plan to save Olympus from the imminent threat. What she wasn't counting on was that her husband and Adonis (her former lover) would fall for each other and that she would fall for Pandora, Haphaestus's adopted sister... Feelings get mixed, some alliances are forged, others are broken - just another day in Olympus.
I love this series and at this point it's pretty much a series and each book is a chapter.I strongly advise reading them in order. 
As Katee Robert herself says, this book is a "mess": a mess of politics, feelings, all packed up together. And when these four are together and realize that they are perfect as a whole, things get really really messy...
It's a fun read, you really get invested in the political machinations and what will happen next. I wish we got more of the romance though. It was a little instalove-y and, surprisingly, not as steamy as I thought it would be from an open poly knot relationship. The few steamy scenes are scorching though.
It's always fun to return to Olympus and I can't wait to see what happens next.
Rep: in DO everyone is queer. Plus size heroine.
PT: attempted murder, murder, violence, child abuse and attempted SA of a minor (historical), living in an orphanage, toxic relationship with a parental figure

Just by nature of MMFF romance, there is a LOT going on in this book. Aphrodite and Haephestus get married out of convenience but they HATE each other. Hate leads to heat and things combust quickly. But both of them have previous relationships. He is best friends with Pandora and she gave up a romance with Adonis to marry. It's steamy and fast paced. There is an underlying battle in their world that gives some plot, but for the most part you are watching with eyes wide open to see how their relationship and their lives will all come together.

For the first time, I found myself struggling to get through a book by Katee Robert. I have forgotten live was going on around me when reading the previous books in the Dark Olympus series. But with Cruel Seduction, I found myself putting it down to read something else.

The spice and relationship building between the four characters.... yes this is a polyamorous (MMFF) erotic story.... is spot on. Like always, Katee brings it 150%. I think, personally, that I'm tired of the gossiping and backstabbing that is running rampant through Olympus. I know that characters are getting a happily ever after. But when does this world get one??

3.5⭐️

Not my favorite of the series, but this series is one I will continue to read, as it is entertaining, propulsive, and I want to find out what happens next.

However, the members of the Thirteen having their own names but then also the name of their role in the Thirteen is just getting so confusing 😂 also there were a lot of references to the last book and although I enjoyed that one, there were details I didn’t remember and I felt like I could have used a synopsis review or something at the beginning of the book. Not sure if this is just a *me* problem or something other people find difficulty with!

What to expect:
- marriage of convenience / enemies to lovers
- 4 POV - MMFF polyamorous relationship
- more political intrigue, assassination attempts, etc
- spicy spice of course as usual

Thanks Netgalley for the advanced copy! These opinions are my own.

Katee Robert can do no wrong. This one isn’t my favorite in the Dark Olympus series but I definitely enjoyed it. The characters were good and tbh I’d let Aphrodite step on me lol

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5

Katee Robert could tell me she’s writing a book about a crochet animal coming to life having a threesome with the house plant and a discarded game of Clue and I’d be so in.

We’re back in Olympus, once again watching members of the Thirteen sacrifice for a city that seems to care more about the gossip their leaders provide than the actual well-being of the city. After the unrest caused during Radiant Sin, we’re following the journey of the new Hephaestus and his marriage to Aphrodite.

This book was an absolute delight. If you left Radiant Sin wanting less slow burn but the same amount of twists and turns, this is the perfect balance for you! I would die for Pandora and Adonis, and the end left me SHOOK and so excited for the next! I also loved the throwback explanation about the Lower City and whether there is or is not magic and this world, and SPOILERS Katee still won’t tell us. 😂 Any scene with Theseus had me *sweating* and I’m not normally jumping on the hot guy murder train.

Five Emojis to Describe this Book:
🥵💦🫡👀👏🏻

I've loved the Dark Olympus series from the beginning and Cruel Seduction is no exception. I was honestly surprised by how plot heavy this book was. There was so much interesting drama between so many characters. I really liked the character development Aphrodite showed by the end. And thanks to that cliffhanger of an ending I can't wait to know what happens next.

Thank you to @sourcebookscasa @dreamscape_media @katee_robert and @netgalley for the ebook and audiobook arcs in exchange for an honest review.

Katee, Katee, Katee why do you keep doing this to me?!?!?

Book Five is hereeee and I flew threw it. Honestly I kept putting it off since I got the ARC because I knew I would like it and then be said I would have to wait until Midnight Ruin next year, but I read it in about 2 days and i'm ready to read it again!

Open Poly Knot - MMFF
Marriage of Convenience
Second Chance / sorta

The intertwining of new relationships and the rekindling of old ones was done so well. Eris/Aphrodite and Theseus/Hephaestus had crazy sexual tension from the start and Katee's steamy scenes are always in my top 10. Add in Adonis and Pandora and 🥵🥵 damn.

The chaos in Olympus is unfolding faster and faster, I know there are 5 more books planned and I am on the edge of my seat waiting to see what else Katee has in store for the upper and lower city.

CW: child abuse (historical, non graphic), attempted murder, murder, violence, blood, attempted SA (historical, non graphic)

Wow! What a brilliant follow up to Radiant Sin! This book is not only steamy as all get out, (Love the way that the quad ended up working out as well!) but it is also incredibly political. The macro plot going on here is SO GOOD!! and it just hyped me up for the next book even more! This series continues to surprise me, and I am itching to get my hands on the next installment!!

I was a little disappointed in this book. I did not like all the politics talk, no one cares about that. It also threw together way too many characters from Greek mythology for my liking. Also it did get a bit confusing having not read the last book in the series but that’s my own fault.

Good, not great. I think with so many characters I never really got attached to any of them in the romance. I will continue the series as I have hope the next books will get better.

~Thank you @netgalley and @sourcebooks for an ARC of this book!

Review:

“To everyone who loves MESS. This one’s for you.” - Katee Robert (dedication page)

~ Y’all, I absolutely devoured this book! This is the 5th book on the Dark Olympus series and the first book I have read with an open poly knot type of relationship. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I would like it or how it would work. But, oh man! 🤩🥵🔥

I absolutely love it and Katee Robert makes it work in the best way. I am so invested in the complex characters and the political intrigue (things are getting increasingly intense in Olympus!).

This book has everything I love: Greek mythology retelling, enemies-to lovers, forced marriage, messy relationships/feelings, and smut (oh y’all.. the smut in this book 🥵🥵)

This series has me in a choke hold and I can’t wait to see where it goes from here!

Thanks to Sourcebook, Katee Robert, and Netgalley for this advanced copy.

We are now up to book 5 in this Dark Olympus series and I'm starting to worry about the balance of the political story and the romance stories in these novels. This is particularly true in Cruel Seduction. While there is definitely some spice in this book, I think I thought there would be more, especially with the polyamory, but instead, it felt like a lot of political stuff with Minos and maybe this is a transition novel really? In general, I didn't get the sudden feelings between Adonis and Theseus as well as Pandora and Eris. It seemed almost like instant like? Instant "ready to have sex and see where this goes?" and that doesn't feel like the HEA we've gotten in other books of the series.
I would have loved for this book to have a little less politics and a little more emotional growth? Maybe we'll see more as the series goes on? Because who are we kidding, I'm going to keep reading because the political stuff isn't boring, I just need it to keep moving.

So yeah, more spice needed? More of a real HEA? I was happy to hear that Ares is still awesome.