I had such high hopes for this book and was kind of let down. I didn’t find it all that amazing like the author’s other works. I did enjoy it enough but found myself bored at times.

The peace of a small island is shattered as a man who claims to be the descendant of Eros starts to sell Desire, with girls suddenly falling in love with men, docile as a dove. Everything is taken from Eirene by Leandros, the maker of said potion. Her friends are under the influence of Desire, her cousin is losing money at the party of Leandros, and now he is planning to make her sick but beautiful twin sister Phoebe as his wife. For the best, she decides to volunteer to be Leandros’s wife to earn time. To be his wife, she has to pass four tests which seems to be impossible. Help comes from the most unexpected source...but can Eirene trust her? In this twisted world, who is the real monster?

Eirene seems to be the main character who leads the story in the first of the book, but slowly, the focus of the story starts to shift towards Lamia. In the end, the main focus of the story is the growth and illumination of Lamia. I enjoyed the sapphic Eros and Psyche mythology setting and the twists of the story, but considering how Eirene treated Lamia, and that they actually did not have a former connection, it was hard to understand why these two fell in love with each other. But under the assumption that they are in love, the rest of the story makes sense. I was not hooked at the beginning, but I was totally immersed in the latter parts. 4.5 stars.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review

In Gentlest of Wild Things, I found myself captivated initially by the lush setting of Zakynthos and the intriguing concept of Desire being bottled and sold. The premise hinted at a rich exploration of mythological themes and sisterly bonds, which seemed promising. However, the pacing soon felt uneven, with Eirene's tasks lacking the intensity or stakes needed to keep my interest fully engaged. The dynamic between Eirene, Phoebe, and Leandros hinted at depth, but it didn’t evolve enough to feel compelling. Additionally, Lamia’s storyline, while intriguing, felt sidelined and somewhat underdeveloped, leaving the sense that her potential was missed.

Ultimately, while the themes and setting were intriguing, the narrative lacked a gripping progression, making it difficult to stay invested.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of this book!

This is a young adult fantasy inspired by Greek mythology, with a sapphic romance at its center. I think my expectations were a bit too high, but I appreciate that this book exists all the same.

A sapphic Greek mythology inspired story that blends in Eros and Psyche with the legend of the vampiric empousa. Eirene and her beloved twin Phoebe live on the island of Zakynthos and have tried their hardest to avoid the prying eyes of Leandros, a power hungry descendant of the god Eros who has his sight on making Phoebe his next bride... only 2 days after his wife mysteriously died. Eirene will do anything to make sure her sister is not forced into this marriage... even marry Leandros herself but he demands she complete four tasks he set before her or he will take her sister as his bride instead of her. Yet the tasks get more impossible with each one and Eirene finds herself being helped by Lamia, the strange and neglected daughter of Leandros, whom he keeps locked up. Lamia and Eirene grow closer but Leandros's secrets might threaten to destroy them both and if Eirene cannot find a way to save herself and her sister, her romance with Lamia might never make it. This was definitely a unique sapphic greek mythology story and while it had some promising elements it just didn't exactly wow me in the way I was hoping it would. Its by no means a bad book, in fact its a fairly light and easy read, it just didn't particularly stand out to me. I think that this would be an enjoyable read for YA readers looking for a light sapphic romance read with a touch of Greek mythology in it. It's a light romance and the story felt a bit younger. It's an easy read and goes by at a slow pace. It's one that I think readers will enjoy if you like soft romances and adventure.

Release Date: October 1,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I really love Greek Myth Retellings and this one did not disappoint at all.
It was very atmosphoric and gripping and the tender romance was beyond words incredible.

Thank you so much to Sarah Underwood and NetGalley for this Arc in exchange for an honest review.

I would probably round this one up to a 3.5 star rating.

I appreciate that Sarah Underwood likes to write Greek mythology retellings. This is her second - both attempt to take Greek Myths and have a sapphic element/ romance. Both have fallen into some of the same issues though.

The story follows Eirene, twin sister of Phoebe, who has caught the attention of demi-god Leandros. To save her frailer sister, Eirene takes her place as willing to wed Leandros. He tasks her with four objectives to 'ensure she will be an adeqaute wife'. This story takes from a few Greek myths, Lamia, Psyche and Eros, and Aphrodite with love and desire.

What I liked about this story was that the love story could have been between sisters. So if you read it with that in mind, it is a lovely story. Through the story, Eirene is determined to keep her sister safe and out of Leandros' way - she does everything in her power to accomplish the tasks...for her sister. This devotion and love was wonderful, and while Eirene is stubborn she is so because of her attempt to save her sister.

I liked the steady pace of the book, but if you are looking for something quicker, this might not be for you. It has a very steady cadence - Eirene gets a task... she panics, but works to accomplish the task, slight chaos... and then progression. The bigger climax might have been around discovery of what Lamia is - I will leave that out, but it was not what I expected (because I know of a lamia as another type of creature and expected something a bit different).

Some dislikes: To the same effect as above - there really wasn't a sapphic romance. There was one kiss and maybe a little swooning, but the Lamia/ Eirene relationship came off as more of sisters than romantic love. I would have prefered the focus just be on sisterly love because if you are giving me "sapphic retelling" I really hope for more than this.

I also feel like the Psyche/Eros/ Aphrodite myths got a bit jumbled in the attempt to tell this story. Eirene was set with tasks, taken from the Psyche story - but I wanted more explanation of that myth and story to build the bridge a bit more clearly. Maybe a full story telling between Eirene and Lamia could have built up more of that romantic feel between them that I was missing.

Overall, this was a likable read. I enjoyed my time with it and will continue to read Sarah Underwood's retellings. The story had a fair amount of good qualities and if you come in knowing that the sapphic romance is a bit lackluster and that the pacing is kinda of monotone, I think you will be better prepared for your read. I really like the incorporation of Greek myth, and will continue to read for that reason alone.

I found this book so incredibly enthralling - I could not put it down, I thought it was an amazing approach to Greek mythology while also focusing on the relationships and love between women while also examining beauty versus monstrosity. I'll be thinking about this book for a very long time

3.75⭐️; The Gentlest of Wild Things was such a pleasant read! The story is a gentle nod to the trials of Psyche and Eros, so if you are looking for a full retelling, you won’t find it here. I found it refreshing though, and quite enjoyed the story of Eirene and Lamia.

Oh, Lamia! How I adored her character. Her growth through the story is wonderful, and I loved the softness she carries with her throughout her journey.

I found that the book was a bit more lighthearted in nature than I anticipated, which I found myself struggling to figure out if I enjoyed this or not. For even in a moment of turmoil, the story still felt “light” and not too serious. I think in some ways it was cute or worked within the scene, but there were some moments that felt a bit awkward. There were a lot of silly little moments that were endearing, but again, not what I expected when I went into this book.

Overall I think it’s a sweet and enjoyable story. It was an easy read and had a relatively simple plot, and I mean this as a positive. I’m someone who loves highly complex worlds and characters, but sometimes it’s nice to pick up a story that doesn’t have your mind spinning.

Don’t be fooled though, the story is still rich and there are still some little surprises in store.

I really enjoyed this book! The bond between the sister and the mythology was great. I struggled to connect with the two fmc. I like both character separately. Lamia was so soft and gentle. I liked that the author didn’t info dump and create this huge world that would draw away from the overall story.

3.5

I enjoyed this retelling of the myth of Eros and Psyche with the story of Lamia blended in for the most part. While it's not a story I'm super familiar with, I liked the author's take on it.

The story revolves around sisters Eirene and Phoebe. Phoebe catches the eye of Leandros, a sinister man who produces a potion called Desire, which basically helps enslave women. Eirene, in a bid to save her sister, goes to Leandros and demands that he marry her instead. Instead of outright agreeing, he sets four tasks before Eirene and tells her if she completes them, he will leave her sister alone. It is during these tasks that she meets Lamia, the daughter of Leandros. The story continues to follow Eirene's struggles to complete the tasks, and Lamia's struggles of being the daughter of Leandros and what he is doing to the town.

The characters are all well-written, though it would have been nice to have a little more depth to Leandros. The story can be a tad slow at times, as there isn't a whole lot that goes on in between Eirene's tasks. My biggest problem with the book though is the speech. There are times when the speech feels very modern, as Eirene likes to drop the occasional 'fuck" into her sentences, which feels very out of place. There are times when the speech of others feels out of place, though for the most part Eirene is the issue.

Because I am not super familiar with the Eros and Psyche myth, I can't say how well this book represents that story. But I do think people who enjoy Greek myth retellings will enjoy this.

On the island of Zakynthos, Leandros, there is a descendant of Eros, and he sells bottled Desire. Desire is a force that turns women into obedient, blank-eyed followers. When he sets his sights on Phoebe, her twin sister Eirene steps in and strikes a deal: if she completes four tasks, Leandros will choose a different bride. As Eirene embarks on these tasks, she starts uncovering dark secrets about Desire and about Leandros’ hidden daughter, Lamia. Meanwhile, Lamia dreams of freedom, but a deadly threat looms over them all.

This story has a tender, dark, and layered exploration of the lengths we go to for those we love. With all the drama, romance, and eerie touches of classic mythology, Gentlest of Wild Things is the perfect title for this book.

I hadn’t read anything by Sarah Underwood before, and I went in with zero expectations—but this book really blew me away. The beginning was a bit slow, especially with the bleak setup of the village, but once the story got moving, I was hooked. Eirene’s journey through the four tasks was super engaging, and the way her relationship with Lamia developed felt natural and really well-paced given the circumstances.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC!

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

I really enjoyed Gentlest of Wild Things. It is a Greek mythology inspired fantasy that was a really exciting story. This book has action, mystery, and romance. And the characters were interesting and very likable. I couldn’t get enough of this book!

4.5/5 Stars

Eirene and her twin sister Pheobe have an incredible bond, fiercely protective of one another. Eirene strikes up a bargain with Leandros, a descendant of Eros, who has his sights set on the ill-Pheobe. If Eirene can complete three tasks he puts forward, then he must marry her instead and leave Pheobe alone. While completing her first task, Eirene meets Leandros hidden away daughter, Lamia whose magical tears are what creates a powder called Desire.

I am a sucker for Greek myth retellings, make them sapphic and you have me hooked. This is a Eros and Psyche retelling that I read so quickly and was fully invested in the story and the characters within the first few chapters. I listened on audiobook and the narrators did an incredible job bringing both these characters to life. The slow-burn sapphic love story was amazing, I loved both Eirene and Lamia! Eirene was so determined to save her sister, and you could feel how much she loved her on the page. The tasks she had to complete were so intriguing and I loved watching her journey with Lamia's help. Lamia was so multi-layered and complex. It made me so sad seeing her struggle with wanting her freedom, but also feeling the loyalty to her father who is only using her for her tears. I loved to hate Leandros, what a vile man. The idea of Desire, a bottled powder that would make any woman obedient was terrifying.

I will definitely be picking up more from this author soon!

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review:

Wow...just wow. I just finished this book and I am at a loss for words. I read about 5% of it last night and had to read it in its entirety today. I haven't felt so drawn and moved by a story in a long time. Dont get me wrong, I have enjoyed plenty of books and loved their stories and worlds, but this story was phenomenal.

When I read the description I thought eh, this could be interesting, but I wasn't particularly excited for it. I am so so glad I requested a copy and read it. This is a book I want to read again and would love to own and put on my shelf. It is absolutely worth the read and I am glad I spent my day in this story.



Left a review on goodreads and on amazon (the review for amazon is still being approved)

Gentlest of Wild Things is the story of a sister who will do anything to save her twin. In a small village, Eirene and her sister Phoebe live with their awful cousin. When Phoebe catches the eye of a mysterious and powerful man on the island, Eirene refuses to allow Phoebe to be stolen away. There’s something strange about Leandros, especially the circumstances under which his last wife died. To take Phoebe’s place, Eirene must complete four impossible tasks. Can she save her sister?

Gentlest of Wildest Things is a sapphic retelling of the myth of Eros and Psyche, with the inclusion of empousa. This was so well done! The story was tightly paced and hard to put down. I really enjoyed the exploration of what it means to be a monster, especially in ancient tales. I loved when Eirene and Lamia had to team up to complete the tasks. The storytelling uses well-known aspects of the tale, while including completely original ideas. The empousa storyline was fascinating and I wish more retellings included them.

Readers who enjoy Greek mythology retellings, sapphic romance, and an unbreakable sisterhood will enjoy Gentlest of Wild Things.

Thank you to Sarah Underwood, HarperCollins, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 rounded up to 3; my main issues are these: Underwood's writing style is bland and boring, the heart of the Psyche myth is ignored, and her characterizations do not spark romantic chemistry.

Calling this a sapphic retelling would require some semblance of romance that actually *worked.* I think if you removed two small scenes from this book, I would have fully believed that Eirene loved Lamia like a daughter or little sister and simply adopted her after the conclusion of the conflict. There is ONE kiss, and one scene where they explicitly make each other romantically blush.

Eirene is entirely focused on saving her sister, Phoebe, throughout the course of the book. The beginning, the middle, and the climax. She is set to do four tasks by Lamia's evil hot father, akin to those Psyche was set by Aphrodite to prove her love of Eros. Here's the problem that starts the downfall of the whole book; Eirene is NOT doing these tasks for Lamia, her love interest. She's doing them out of love of her sister. Every task she achieves only draws her minimally closer to Lamia--- but the one she is fighting for is her sister.

There's basically zero chemistry between these two. It doesn't help that Lamia has been so sheltered and Eirene has been so hard working that they feel like a child and an adult respectively. The story even sets up that Eirene will become Lamia's stepmother upon marrying her father.

The story of Psyche is that of a woman who never wanted her beauty or her fame or the hundreds of adoring suitors. She wanted to be happy, and she found that happiness with Eros, but lost it with her lack of trust. And she worked so hard, sacrificed her hands, her beauty, her dignity, all to prove to Aphrodite that she was worthy of Eros's love. Positioning this story as a retelling of that myth is setting it up for failure--- especially since the myth of Psyche and Eros already seems to be a real and popular story in this world. So it's not a retelling. It's Lamia's dad being obsessed with his own lineage and a whooooole bunch of contrivances. Eirene does the tasks for her sister, not her lover, because Lamia isn't her lover until the very end of the book, in the epilogue. Except the fourth task, which Lamia has to do for Eirene, because Eirene is taken out by Lamia's father. So it all becomes such a jumbled MESS of the original myth that it doesn't even achieve anything.

To summarize--- romance chemistry was non-existent, plot was weak and contrived, the relationship was awkward because of how sheltered Lamia was, and the claims of this being a "sapphic retelling" only lead to disappointment.

If there is one thing you should know about me it is that I LOVE greek mythology.

This was such an interesting spin on Eros and Psyche and I've never read a book based on them before so I was super excited to delve into this.

I think the world building was a little lacking and Underwood could have fleshed more parts of it out to make the reader feel more immersed, but this wasn't a huge disappointed. I loved the mystery aspect and the strong female characters.

The chapters are short and the writing isn't overly complicated so this was an easy read, and such a cute epilogue!

Thank you to Harper Collins for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review!

Amazingly beautiful story! I walked into this book blind and am so glad I did. I loved the characters and the amount of growth and development Eirene and Lamia went through was very rewarding.

I am hoping the author will decide to continue their story, as I would love to know what happens next.

Thank you to netgalley and harpercollins for providing me a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve been a lifelong fan of Greek mythology and retellings, and this was an interesting spin on the psyche and Eros myth. I liked the plot, the mystery was satisfying in its conclusion but I guess I would have liked more hints to certain worldbuilding points and creatures existing in this world. I did think the romance was well done, I liked the slow burn aspect and I bought the connection, but unfortunately I just didn’t latch on to either POV character.