4⭐️ 3🌶️

- M/F
- Friends to lovers
- Greek mythology
- Cyber punk
- Bounty Hunter
- On the run
- Cute bunny sidekick

This was my first book by Carly Spade and I loved this world! It was such a fun twist on modern interpretation of Greek mythology. The world was vibrant and fascinating.

Hephaestus lives in the year 2104 working as a bounty hunter in a cyber punk world. Heph has a device that allows him to portal between locations and time. So when a bounty is put out for his childhood friend Aphrodite, he figure he’ll pop back in time and grab her for a quick payday. But of course nothing goes to plan and soon Heph and Ro are in the run from her immortal enemy. While on the run Heph and Ro are forced into some pretty funny and harrowing situations that force them to confront their feeling for each other.

Heph was hilarious. I loved his Heph-isms and how he took various phrases from the past and made them his own. He was a fly by the seat of his pants kinda guy who thought he was a loaner. But really his close friends would do anything for him. Including take on a hoard of bounty hunters and harpies. He had a gruff exterior but was such a softie, especially for Ro. But it shouldn’t come as a surprise since he has Ana Dora me bunny sidekick.

I loved Aphrodite and the struggle she had with being the goddess people expected of her versus being true to herself and letting her nerd flag fly. It made me sad that she felt so unloved but knew Heph would help her see the error of her ways.

I was a little disappointed that we didn’t get more resolution about the big baddy of this book but I’m assuming they will be a reoccurring problem in this series and I will eventually get my answers.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start by saying that I absolutely loved the Contemporary Mythos series. So when I managed to snag a copy of Of Love and Forge I was so so excited.

I loved the world building of the Neosphere. The idea that the future is either a bunch of people looking either super posh or super punk rock sounded like a great place to me.

I loved Hephaistos. He was basically Karl Urban from the Boys but with a pet bunny and way nerdier. Which I was all for.

I didn't like Aphrodite, but I didn't mind reading from her perspective.

There were a couple of events that happened in this book that I felt were glossed over and needed a bit more explaining, but otherwise I am very much looking forward to the next book in the series!!

Lastly, the spice was 🌶🌶 for sure, with multiple scenes that were well done and had me fanning myself to keep cool because oh wow were they hot hot.

I definitely enjoyed this book, even with it being slow at first. Will definitely continue the series.

A sweet, sexy, action-packed ride.
This Hephaestus and Aphrodite retelling set in the world of Spade’s Contemporary mythos stories, this book won’t leave you wanting for anything. The plot was fast paced, the chemistry was electric, and the spice was just right. I loved the aspect of time travel and futuristic setting as well. Overall, an entertaining read!

Oh my god, this novel is exceptional from start to finish. If you are obsessed with Greek Mythology, to the extent that I am, you should definitely snatch this up when it comes out on February 27th!
From the plot, to the action, to the romance, it honestly has it all. The description was beautiful, and you become insanely attached to the customers and their storylines. Plus, the spice was amazing!!! To top it off, there was an adorable rabbit included that made me smile every time I read about him.

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgallery in exchange for a honest review.
* Tried leaving a review on amazon, but it said I wasn't eligible too.

What an intersting twist of greek mythology and cyber punk! This book has everything you need: adventure, action, bounty hunters, hot greek gods and a rekindled romance!

This was an awesome book! I don’t normally read mythology retellings, but my mom and my husband love mythology, so I figured why not. I’ll admit, my knowledge of Greek Gods doesn’t go beyond my 6th-grade education of them, and what I learn from the webtoon “Leveling With the Gods” - highly recommend it. I had to do some research on the main characters before reading, and a quick search of anyone else as they appeared. If you are like me and have minimal knowledge of these Gods, I suggest doing some research first, but I don’t think it’s necessary, and I don’t want your lack of knowledge to deter you, this book is awesome. 
The dynamic between the two main characters is well-written, and while this is a romance book and we see a lot of it, the book doesn’t rely on romance. The action that we see, the running for their lives drama, it’s very engaging and thrilling. I read just a few chapters before bed and my brain picked up where the book left off, not really a spoiler but spoiler alert, in one chapter they are going through an elevator, I fell asleep right after and my dream was them running out of the elevator and into battle. What I’m trying to say is…it will seep into your braaaaain. You will be so addicted that you start dreaming about it.

The romance aspect was good, their back-and-forth was well-written and cute. Their final explosions are very detailed and very hot. The only thing is, I honestly can’t tell if this is leading us into a second book, it cleans up nicely and gives us a conclusion, but it leaves it open for the option of continuing the story. If it does create another book, my husband would like to make the guess of their being more than Greek Gods and the next story will somehow include Odin.

This was a really interesting and cool idea- Greek gods, cyberpunk, futuristic. The humor was great, but there were some things that bothered me throughout. Every god had like 5 different nicknames from various characters, which bothered me, and the pacing in the second half was slow and I found myself losing interest.
It doesn’t follow the myth, but that didn’t bother me at all, I love a reimagining. Something about the second half just fell short for me and I was really skimming the last third of the book. Overall, a fun read and idea, and I personally enjoyed a lot of the nerdy references!

Thank you to NetGalley, World Tree Publishing, and Carly Spade for an advanced copy to read and review!

First off thank you to NetGalley and World Tree Publishing for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This story follows Hephaistos and Aphrodite. It's a very unique take on their story/myth, has very cyber-punkish vibes. Heph is a bounty hunter and decides to take the bounty on Aphrodite. They haven't seen each other for a bit and when the job turns south, they find themselves running for their lives.

The banter and tension between the two is what kept me reading this. I just didn't vibe with the story as much as I thought I would. I did enjoy the nerdy references. It was a slow burn and but I loved the burn when it finally ignited.

Overall: 3
Spice: 3

This was a very enjoyable, futuristic reimagining of classical Greek mythology with a cyberpunk twist. Heph and Ro were absolutely delightful characters and came to life off the page with very visual descriptions and humorous and delightful banter. The story was so unique, interesting, and fun--I'm really hoping for some spinoffs with some of the other characters!

If you're already a fan of Carly Spade and Greek mythology you probably already know how fun her Contemporary Mythos series is. Of Love and Forge is a new spin off novel from that series and it brings a whole new level of excitement to the world of gods.
💗
It's a cyberpunk fever dream filled with neon lights, nerdy references, and greek mythology. Hephaistos picks up a bounty on Aphrodite after someone disputes her services. Once he brings her to the Neosphere District in the year 2104 things take a bad turn. The bounty isn't what it seems and with Heph's time travel device busted and Ro's powers on the fritz the two make a mad dash through the glowing city. Monsters and mayhem rule but there's no denying the growing heat between them. Things get explosive when the Goddess of Love and the God of Forge collide.
⚒️
I've been a major fan of the Mythos series since the very beginning and when I found out we'd get this new series I was so freaking excited! It's such a perfect chance to explore new settings and characters while keeping us connected to original storylines. I adored reading an Aphrodite and Heph story where they aren't already together. The friends-to-lovers and mutual pining was *chef's kiss*! Heph as a time hopping, grungy bounty hunter is something I didn't know I needed. He's always been an underrated God in my opinion and he shines in this book. He's snarky and funny, yet has a sweet side and a pet bunny. I mean, c'mon! He and Ro share a love of all things nerdy and I had so much fun seeing all the references (the Mass Effect one got me). I was grateful for the nerdy side Ro eventually embraced because it was nice seeing a new version of the Love goddess. We all have an idea of what she's like but this one is so much more relatable!
🔥
This may be a love story but it's jam packed with action and adventure. Close calls with a cyclops and hiding out in a swingers club are enough to get anyone's blood pumping, right?
Heph and Ro are wonderfully ridiculous together but some real fun starts when Orion and Ares join in. The ensemble was perfect but Orion especially made me smile and I seriously hope he gets his own story!
🌃
So many thanks and love to Carly Spade and NetGalley for the ARC. This world was a blast and I can't wait to see where we go next!

Overall, I enjoyed this! It was a fun, quick read with cyberpunk vibes which is something I always eat up. The dynamics were so fun and I'd love to see more of Orion and Ares, they seem like an interesting duo.

What a fun read!
It's Greek gods meets cyberpunk meets Deadpool level humor.
This was my first time reading this author and I'll definitely be back for more ❤️❤️❤️

I absolutely love Carly Spade’s other books I’ve read, and this one was no different! Loved it and the spice!

I originally wanted to read this because of my love of Greek mythology! I am a sucker for a retelling of any myth, although many can have their downfalls. There were a few questions I had going into this story, mainly if I would be ok reading this when I had never ready any other Spade's Contemporary Mythos books. And I was! I actually think that this will be a gateway into reading her other books.
I was also worried if it would fall into the myth retelling where nothing is new and the characters aren't expanded on enough. But thankfully, that didn't happen! It was a lovely story. Spade EXPANDED on these characters that everyone already knows about. She gave them personalities and stories OUTSIDE of their myths, and even addresses the weird parts about the general Greek myths (making sure the reader know Aphrodite DIDNT sleep with her brother).
I am extremely happy I picked this book up. It seemed to lag a little bit in certain spots, and I felt like I lost a bit of fire at the very end of the book, perhaps because so much action was packed into the beginning of the book.

The best part is how many feelings Heph has, and how much he loves Ro.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Exceptional! I knew this was going to be a five-star read before I even read halfway through! The first half was nothing but action. The last half was lots of sex between Heph and Ro. I still don't quite understand how Eros got created in the future but lives in the past, and I wish there was more action in the last half of the book but overall I liked this book. I would definitely recommend it to anyone!

Not going to lie, when I made it through the first chapter, I was like what I am getting myself into. But powered through and ended up I loving this! I feel the need to brush up on my mythology after this, but definitely not necessary for the understanding of the story. I really enjoyed the banter, the steam, and the humor. The world building was great, and who doesn’t love a friends to lovers story? I’ll definitely be picking up others in this series.

I received an advanced digital copy of this book, courtesy of the publisher, via NetGalley.

The cyberpunk take on Greek gods was an exciting new take. I enjoyed the playful banter that was between the main characters, and enjoyed getting to know Heph in a way I hadn’t seen him portrayed before. This book balanced in some very steamy scenes that were also enjoyable! Overall I highly enjoyed and would recommend to other readers, especially fans of other mythology retellings!

Thank you to both the Publisher and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair and honest review. (All opinions are my own, and were not biased in any way)

3.25
Who would have thought to mix Greek myths with cyberpunk?

Hephaestus, God of Fire and Smiths, is a well-known bounty hunter. When he was offered a new job to capture Aphrodite, an old friend but also a long-time crush, he knew he had to take the job. When the job turned south, they find themselves running and fighting for their lives.

This was a creative take on Hephaestus and Aphrodite. I quite enjoyed the humor. However, somewhere in the second half I just kind of lost interest. Maybe it was the pacing? Maybe it's just me?

Overall, a decent read with some fun and steamy moments.

Also for those who are wondering, this does not follow the myths between Hephaestus and Aphrodite at all. If you know their story then you know things didn't go so well for the two.

***I would like to thank NetGalley, Carly Spade (the author), and World Tree Publishing for graciously sending me an ARC to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.**

5/5 stars! This book blew me away. I picked it up because of its cover, but hadn't even realized it was a futuristic mythology re-telling. I adored getting to know Carly Spade's versions of these characters and good ole Heph has been a favorite god of mine for ages. This story was perfection and I can't wait to read more.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

I was given an advanced copy by Netgalley and World Tree Publishing in order for an honest review. I really enjoyed this steamy friends to lovers between Hephaestus and Aphrodite! I love Greek mythology so this was right up my alley!

Heph takes a bounty job for Aphrodite because he wants to spend more time with her. But chaos ensues when they are attacked by harpies as well as other evil bounty hunters who want Aphrodite. Heph will do everything in his power to keep her safe.

I liked the friendly banter between the two and how passionate the two were. This book had me fanning myself it gets pretty steamy! It has one trope that isn’t my favorite but it didn’t take away from the book. I had a fun time reading this! Be sure to pick this up on Feb 28,23.