⭐⭐⭐

Dark Restraint is the 7th book in the Dark Olympus serie but this book can also be read as a standalone.

I have to say I didn't care for the couple that much in this book but the spice was still good and i loved the story of Olympus. I find this book the weakest in the whole series and it felt a bit like a filler to be honest.

I liked the writing style of Katee Robert and especially this series, I definitely look forward for her next book!

Thank you to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This series is amazing!! The characters are so thought out and in depth that it draws you in deeper to the story. A special thank you to Netgalley, Katee Robert, and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Another amazing add to this series!! I loved the characters and backstories! I loved that the MMC was so supportive of the choices the MFC! Watching them fight for love and freedom was wonderful!! All the drama of the city is getting so intense as well! This series is addictive for sure! I can’t wait for the next one!! Highly recommend this entire series!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Dark Restraint by Kateen Robert!

Ariadne is such a great character! Girl is intelligent and isn’t afraid to use that to her advantage. Everyone underestimates her and she beats them every time, it’s fantastic. The relationship between her and Asterion is loving and sweet and the epitome of the “touch her and be deceased” trope and I loved it. I hope we get an update on this couple in future books in the series. I want them to be happy.

These last few books I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy them as much because it is the “enemy”, but I still fell in love with the characters. This was very political and kept me on my toes. I liked the forbidden love and getting to know these characters.

*Dark Restraint* by Katee Robert is a thrilling, intense read that captivates from start to finish. With her signature ability to weave together tension, desire, and complex characters, Robert crafts a story that pulls you into a dark, seductive world where control, power, and trust are pushed to their limits. The chemistry between the characters is electric, making every interaction loaded with anticipation.

What truly stands out in this novel is the depth of the characters. While this is a story filled with steamy moments, Robert takes the time to delve into the emotional intricacies of the protagonists, making their journey feel more than just surface-level passion. The pacing is well-balanced, keeping the reader hooked without feeling overwhelming.

While the story does lean heavily into the darker side of romance and may not be for everyone, those who enjoy intense, gripping narratives with a strong emotional core will likely find *Dark Restraint* a satisfying, captivating read. It’s a perfect pick for fans of romantic suspense with an edge.

I binged the rest of this series earlier this year and Dark Restraint has been one of my top 2 most anticipated reads for 2024, so thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Compared to the 8 romances we’ve seen so far in the Dark Olympus series — including Medusa and Calypso in Stone Heart— Ariadne and The Minotaur will not be remembered among my personal favorites, but I never expected them to. There are certainly things that could be said about a lot of Asterion’s actions, but within context I didn’t mind as much as I normally might. So it works for what it is, I just think the predator/prey dynamic isn’t so much my thing. The smut was also lacking for me, but that’s partially because it followed 2 of my favorite entries into the series smut-wise. What the spice and romance lacked for me, was made up for with character moments in our time spent with Dionysus, Hermes, and Hera, as well as the individuals in our next couple Poseidon and Icarus, who we’d gotten very little time with up until this point.

Where it really shone most in however is what I think is also one of Katee Robert’s greatest strengths in this series in general: providing a truly interesting perspective into a sprawling and engrossing world, held together by a corrupt and engaging political landscape. We got our first POV from the perspective of Minos’ household with Theseus in Cruel Seduction, but this provided a more in depth understanding of the abuse suffered and the stakes ahead. I enjoyed seeing this story from the perspective of characters who actively drove the overall series plot, as opposed to reacting to events with in it.

This was my first time listening to a Dark Olympus audiobook alongside my read and I’m grateful that I did both because there was an error in the recording for Chapter 19. The middle of three sections (notably a mid-chapter switch in narration) was read after the last one instead. It didn’t detract from my experience too much but thought it was worth noting for anyone just listening to the audiobook. The narrators were not what I would’ve expected for the characters based on what I’d imagined, but that was a fun surprise. They brought dynamic performances that I greatly appreciated!

All in all, I’d rate this book 3 ⭐️ out of 5 stars, even if the points in its favor are mostly for everything but the spicy romance in this spicy dark romance novel. And thanks again to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Dark Restraint gives us everything Kate Robert. An action packed, filthy hot romance. This world keeps hooking us and looking forward to the next installment!

I think this would have been more enjoyable if I read the rest of the series. I found myself a little lost and wasn't invested in the characters or the plot.

I love Katee Robert and the Dark Olympus series! The relationships! The surrounding drama! Truly one of my favorite series.

I love anything Katee Robert writes. She is one of the few auto-buy authors that I have.

This book follows Ariadne and the Minotaur. It wasn’t my favorite of the series, but I wasn’t disappointed with it.

Can’t wait for the next one!

Thank you so much for gifting me this title! I was so surprised and delighted!
I am a massive fan of Katee’s and of this series and this book was not a disappointment! I loved every second of it and I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
Thanks again!!

Katee Roberts is one of my top authors and I typically enjoy this series, but this installment fell flat for me. The pacing felt too slow and I wasn't a huge fan of the dynamics of the two MCs in this book, which was a disappointment because I was excited to read about their relationship after the last book's cliffhanger. The male MC was very dark and intense and the female MC felt underdeveloped. I found myself skimming through most of the plot and spice just so that I could get the highlights so I can continue onto the next book in the hopes that the plot picks up and I click better with the new MCs. I've enjoyed Dark Olympus up to this point though so I will be picking up the next book for the plot. I think this would be a good one for readers who enjoy dark fantasy, but otherwise I don't think this was a highlight of the series for me.

I loved the first few books in this series but this one didn't do it for me, It could be the characters or it just could have been the time that I read this but I'm hopeful that other books will be just as good as the first few.

Dark Restraint was an okay read for me. The characters were interesting, and the steamy scenes delivered, but the plot didn’t quite grab me as much as I’d hoped. It was enjoyable, but not as captivating as previous books in the series. A solid read for fans, but didn’t leave a lasting impact.

I’ve read quite a few of Katee Robert’s books, and while they’re all within the dark romance genre, Dark Restraint is their stereotypical booktok dark romance. Lots of possessiveness and “mine,” stalker tendencies, and touch her and you’ll die vibes. I feel it missed the mark because Katee is a consent queen and that just doesn’t mix well with stalker romances. Now, don’t get me wrong, one of the reasons I love Katee’s books is because of the explicit consent required. To then push the bounds of that felt strange. While this was my least favorite of the Dark Olympus series, I still gave it 4 stars because of the political scheming and the insight we got on characters we’ve only had peaks of before.

We finally get to see more of Hera, and oh boy is she plotting! I know we’re all dying for the Zeus and Hera book and this really made me more impatient. We’ve known she’s had a plan to take down Zeus, but to read how ruthless and precise she’s been in executing it was what made this book worth reading. The overarching plot is coming together in a way that’s making me excited for the rest of the series. We get more of Dionysus than we have before and get to see more of his personality and involvement in the political games.

I preferred the plot over the couple or the smut, but that was bound to happen in a 10 book series eventually. It’s made me more excited for the books to come!

Also, thank you NetGalley & Sourcebooks for the ARC!

Decent installment to one of my favorite series. I think the problem with my feelings toward this book are more about it highlighting characters that are not my favorite and less about the writing and storyline. I like the idea of Ariadne's story more than I like the character as she's written.

LOVE everything Katee writes!! This was not one of my favorites, I did not feel the spark at the beginning but eventually we got there. The plot is getting good, I cannot wait to see what's next