If you haven’t read anything in the Dark Olympus series yet from Katee Robert.. then you need to go back and start before reading this book.

This story revolves around Aphrodite & an interesting group of others. There’s murder. There’s mayhem. And truthfully.. this book isn’t much different than the others. Most of the books in this series are pretty repetitive and involve so many characters. BUT. I’m still sucked into every single one.
I do have a hard time keeping up with all the characters names due to their names can change based on certain events. But you tend to pick up on it anyway.

While there are some spicy scenes in this book, I actually found it a bit lacking compared to previous books in the series.
At the end you’re still kind of left wondering where the story is going and what’s going to happen. Which to me means I’ll still be picking up the next one.
This is the vaguest review I’ve ever written but I don’t want to spoil anything so we’re keeping it that way.

So if you’re looking for a series that doesn’t take itself too seriously but has a bunch of interesting characters, for sure pick up the Dark Olympus series.
& Thanks to NetGalley for the early book!

This book is on par with the other books in the Dark Olympus series: great writing, great characters, plenty of things going on. My issues with this book are mostly personal: I'm not a fan of most of the tropes/themes used in this particular volume. I really don't enjoy enemies-to-lovers, revenge stories, or politics, and this had all of those things in spades.

My only actual problem with this novel is that there was so much going on, that it felt like some things were getting left by the wayside and added in later when needed. There were four people in the relationship(s), and those people were basically on two sides of a major issue happening in the city. The novel was about average length for a romance, but with so much going on, it felt like there needed to be more. Pandora, especially, felt very vague to me. She's part of the relationship(s), and she's really important to two of the main characters, but I don't really feel like I could see how she fit into the story. She felt a bit like a filler character, which is weird for the importance she had to some of the characters and their relationship(s).

I do like seeing how the world and the issues in it are advancing, and I can't wait for the next installment in the series.

There's something about Katee Robert's books that are just so compulsively readable to me — I know once I pick one up I won't be able to put it down until I've gotten to the very end, and this one was no exception. I really admire her knack for being willing to dive into the absolute messiest of dynamics and somehow evolve it into a situation that works for everyone involved. Although I would've liked to see a little more of how this particular relationship changed things for certain characters (Theseus and Pandora, especially, given their long history), this one really makes some interesting moves in shaking up the greater politics around them and the tenuous nature of the Thirteen's authority in society, and I really enjoyed those worldbuilding elements being spooled out in the background. Plus, honestly, I'm always going to be a sucker for the "my husband/wife can't decide if they want to kill me or do me" part of an arranged marriage trope.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Katee has really hit her stride with story telling in this series. The book immediately follows the events from Radiant Sin and we see Aphrodite and Hephaestus come head to head, showing us not all is fair in love and war. I enjoyed getting to know Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Adonis and Pandora - understanding their dynamic and how they all fit together. The political intrigue remains high and many changes are on the horizon - looking forward to seeing where Katee takes this series.

I like that we've seen more action in the last few Dark Olympus books! (And no, I don't mean THAT kind of action...though there's plenty of that, too.)

I'm a sucker for a marriage of convenience plot, so I really enjoyed this one. This series still has me in a chokehold.

If you like this series more for the queer rep and different relationship dynamics then this is a nice instalment to the Dark Olympus series. It also notably has a bit more action than previous books I've read in the series. I didn't much care for the audio because it just didn't click with me. I'm looking forward to more but I honestly will probably forget this by next month.

When we visit Dark Olympus, we have two expectations: really hot sex scenes and a few light references to Greek mythology. This book? We get some weird combination of six figures of Greek mythology (Theseus-Hephaestus-Eris-Aphrodite-Adonis-Pandora) over four characters in the book, a lot of discrete sex scenes, and a ton of "politics." Look, we understand the Aphrodite/Hephaestus pairing, but how do the others get thrown into a relationship? Also, we just don't care about politics in New Olympus or whatever it's supposed to be. We know the original myths and they're way more interesting than whatever we got here.

Basically this one was a letdown :'( ...Here's hoping that MMF Orpheus/Charon/Eurydice can pull this train back on track in a few months.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Bring on the mess! I love a good messy story with all the tropes and a great plot. The spice Katee brings is top notch! 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ this can be read as a stand alone, but I highly recommend that you read the first 4 books in the Dark Olympus series before you read this. All in all a great read. Can’t wait for the next book!

This was a beautifully wild, messy, heart warming story. I honestly don’t know how Katee Robert can make you go from hating characters to loving them in the span of a few pages. The character development is just next level.

Now, I will say I was VERY nervous to read this. The first book I read that had a throuple/poly relationship was Wicked Beauty in the Dark Olympus series. Knowing this book had a 4 person relationship was insane to me. I honestly thought it was going to be a struggle to get through.

But MAN am I glad to say I was wrong!

This book was SO good! Like it was messy in all the best ways. It never really felt like a love triangle (which are the WORST) but rather just a group of people doing whatever they want.

I honestly think this was the spiciest book in the series so far. Our girl did not hold out on the smut. It probably had some of the best scenes in the series so far. There’s one scene that had me like 😦

Anyways, I’m sad I’m caught up on the series because that means I have to wait for the next book but I’m so excited for January!! The politics and romance just keep getting better and better as the series progresses. And knowing the pairings for the next few books, I’m so incredibly ready.

Thank you for Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC! This book comes out August 8, 2023 so don’t miss out!

I liked the first few books in this series. But I just feel like at this point this series is getting dragged out. I love Katee Robert. But i don’t think I like this series.

Listen, Katee rules. On numerous occasions, she has managed to make circumstances that I generally do not vibe with entirely understandable. If you gave me a list of tropes featured in this book, with no context, I wouldn't be interested. I straight up hated the Theseus for multiple books and was not enticed by the idea of spending time with him and his romantic life. And yet, Katee Robert pulls off what many writers cannot. I enjoyed all of the narrators but Theseus was my favorite. And the spice is very hot! She can't keep getting away with this...(I mean this facetiously. I am actually dying to read Eurydice/Charon/Orpheus' book.)

Thank you to NetGalley and Source Books for the Arc.

Aphrodite and Hephaestus are locked into a forced marriage. They are set to be a hate to love couple. But they both take an interest in other people, Adonis and Pandora. Their relationship is messy. Yes, there is a lot of spice but I felt like the store line wasn't fully there for me.

This was honestly the first book I have read in the series. There was a lot going on in this book but at the same time I felt like aside from them agreeing to be a couple of four, there really was nothing making me want to continue in the series. I may start with the first book to see if the hype in the first few books is better for me.

This one continues from the last book with all the political drama taking place. I enjoyed this aspect of the plot and how it added a bit of mystery and drama with those higher up in Olympus. This one had tons of spice and great representation of a poly relationship. I sometimes just felt that there was more spice than needed, or just spice for the sake of having spice.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

This is easily my favorite book in this series. Eris, Theseus, Pandora, and Adonis were all a hot mess. BUT they all worked together so well, it really was such an enjoyable ride. Plot wise this felt very much like a bridge book, a lot of set up happened, like the stacking of dominos, but nothing really came of it (Yet). The spice in this was hot. I kinda wish this book were a bit longer so we could get more of the groups dynamic and how they are going to communicate and make everything work in the future. I really wanted to get to know Adonis and Pandora a little more, but that is a small grievance.
All and all this series is fun, I'm super excited to see where the next book takes us.

Another fabulous, spicy mythology retelling by Katee Robert! This book follows Aphrodite and Hephaestus (with a bit of Adonis and Pandora thrown in). Scorchingly spicy - it’s all about jealousy and seduction. Lines get blurred and the consequences for their actions are far reaching in Olympus. Great read!

Katee Robert does it again. I could not put this book down. It's just as gripping and riveting as the rest of the books in the Dark Olympus series. I didn't want it to end.

Another fun Katee Robert book!

This felt like a filler and bridge to the rest of the series, but I enjoyed the ~vibes~!

Thank you to Katee Robert, Netgalley, and the publisher for an advanced copy.

Katee Robert never disappoints. I love all of the Dark Olympus books but this one felt different. I liked the pacing and how it felt like it was a political drama just as much as it was a romance. My only critique was that I wish it was a bit longer so that the story could continue! I can’t wait to read the next book in the Dark Olympus series!

The fifth book in Robert's "Dark Olympus" series, Cruel Seduction brought me right back to why I enjoyed this series in the first place. With enjoy spice and story to keep me hooked, I binged "Cruel Seduction in 2 days. For fans who didn't like the throuple angle of "Wicked Beauty" I implore you to at least try with "Cruel Seduction". The 4 characters are, in my opinion, way more intriguing than Helen and her boys (though they do make a reappearance in this book). My only complaint is that I feel this book's ending was a bit abrupt and knowing that the author tends to only cover the current couple in her titles, I will admit that I wish there was more to the ending since we won't see the detailed dynamic again.

This book was astounding. Forced marriage, enemies to lovers, Polyamory, "my wife".

I loved every second of it and it definitely is in my top 3 of this series so far. I am shook on how Katee Robert has developed this series and the ongoing plot from book to book. I think that this book and Wicker Beauty are one of my favorites because there are SO many things that happen that change the course of the story dramatically. It is just chaos but like a good kind haha!! Katee starts off letting us know that this is messy and they did not like. But this mess, is delightful in every day. The relationships between Eris, Adonis, Theseus, and Pandora are so unique and they work. They all know each other on different levels and have different relationships with each other that intertwine and it works. Can it get messy? Yes i am sure, but they know that and the communication is top tier. It is really beautiful! and it is also SUPER SPICY!!! the spice in this book was just wow amazing. did not disappoint, but Katee never really does. I CANT WAIT FOR THE REST OF THIS SERIES!