No surprise I loved this one. The Dark Olympus series continues to be one of my favourites and shows no signs of lagging as we get closer and closer to the end. I don't know this is my favourite couple to date but the political plot is really coming to a peak and I would read them just for that, the romance is just a very big bonus.

This was so good! I loved Poseidon and Icarus. They were so sweet together. The steamy scenes were hot. I do wish the plot had moved along a bit more.

I’ve always been drawn to the story of Icarus & the blend with Poseidon was incredibly intriguing. I felt like it was overall enjoyable and maintained many of the themes & stylistic writing that is attributed to Katee Robert. That being said, I don’t see this being one that I re-read in the future as I will with some of the other titles like Neon Gods.

Katee Robert always burns up the pages and Icarus and Poseidon do not disappoint. This series combines drama, steamy scenes and yet the most tender of love stories.

Welcome Back to Dark Olympus
Readers have been on the Dark Olympus rollercoaster for some time now. “Sweet Obsession”, the most recent release from Katee Robert, builds on the power struggles and corruption of Olympus view through the eyes of Icarus and Poseidon.

If you are new to the Dark Olympus series, I would recommend going back and starting from the beginning with “Neon Gods”. While each book focuses on one set of characters, each new novel advances the overall plot enough that you’ll feel the missed details starting in the middle.

If you’re already a series reader but need a bit of a refresh, you can read my review of “Midnight Ruin” and Jes’ review of “Radiant Sin” at www.thelitbuzz.com.

Let’s Get Into It

One of the most enjoyable items in the new releases is the ‘catch up’ notes from Muse Watch at the beginning of the story. They’re super helpful “news items” from the fictional gossip media outlet that covers the shenanigans occurring all over town. Titles like “Olympus Under Attack!” and “New Blood in Town!” share details of plot advancement, while other scandalous headlines like “Apollo Finds Love at Last?” fan the relationship rumor mill and the blush in my cheeks.

Icarus is captive after aiding in the daring escape of Ariadne and the Minotaur. He’s at the mercy of Poseidon, a ‘salt-of-the-Earth” legacy with a rough voice, “a broad chest, a thick gut, and thighs” as big as Icarus’ waist. The dichotomy of these two men couldn’t be more apparent, from their physical characteristics, the way they speak, and even their bedroom behavior. Katee Robert seems to find a groove writing these men that seems to have been missing throughout the middle of this series. “Sweet Obsession” and the sparks from Icarus and Poseidon are reminiscent of Achilles and Patrocles and the way they burned for each other.

Getting Hotter
"All I have is my beauty. The moment time whisks that away, I’ll truly be as worthless as my father always said."
Icarus

I thought I knew how the power dynamics were going to shape up after reading the summary and the content/trigger warnings. Boy, was I wrong!

It was nice to feel surprised even after 8 books into a series. Icarus, bratty, provocative, and altogether docile in light of the political circumstances, made for a really dynamic dominant in the bedroom. He’s gorgeous and he knows it. He acts like the world owes him something, but really, he’s just desperate to be seen for something other than his looks.

By all rights Poseidon has all of the power in the relationship, but he willingly submits to his lover in spite of their positions in society. Poseidon sees Icarus for who he is, not what he looks like. He likes what he sees.

"What kind of strength must it take to survive someone like Minos? To snatch up a gun and hold it to my head, to sacrifice himself so his sister could escape? It’s one of the bravest things I’ve ever witnessed. I may not have said as much to him, but it’s the truth. Most people wouldn’t have done that." -Poseidon

The flipped script and changed narrative had me rethink what I thought I knew about character development.

Final Thoughts

Katee Robert writes one heck of a compelling story. I always crack the book open and I’m already in the thick of it before I realize I haven’t set it down once. Their strongest books of the series are Neon Gods, Electric Idol, and Wicked Beauty, where there was a blend of focus between the relationship development and the plot advancement. Some of the middle books flip-flopped the priority and made them feel weaker, but Sweet Obsession rights the ship (pun intended).

I say this with a heavy heart, but I’m ready for the Dark Olympus series to be over. While the city take over is intriguing and I am desperate to know how it will all turn out, the plot doesn’t seem to move enough throughout each new installment, and the city siege starts to feel a little stagnate. I’m hopeful that “Tender Cruelty” and “Shattered Gods” will be a spectacular fireworks show of an ending for this beloved romance series.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this eARC. All opinions are my own.

This was an enjoyable reading experience.

Of course this was great! Katee Robert always delivers!! I can’t wait for what’s next. Thank you to publisher for chance to read.

This author gives us another gripping and intense romance in the dark Olympus world, this time with the love that develops between Icarus and Poseidon. The tension and suspense were well developed here as we know that we are working our way closer to the series finale, and there was a good balance between developing those plotline and developing the romantic characterizations..

Poseidon and Icarus's characters were a nice surprise, Icarus as the Dom and Poseidon as the Sub. Poseidon was such a sweetheart and considerate, a very different portrayal from what I usually see in mythological retellings with Poseidon in it. I liked that Icarus was this selfish boy just trying to look out for himself, but ends up being vulnerable with Poseidon.
What didn't capture me though was all the scheming between Hera and Zeus and everyone trying to decide what to do with Circe. It felt like too much was trying to happen that nothing was happening at all. And the climax fell flat for me.
It was a nice ending but overall this wasn't one of my favs of the series.

Another banger from Katee Robert. The world building and plotting really came through in this one, but they were balanced nicely by the heat and chemistry.

THIS BOOK!!!! @katee_robert you making me cry at 7am was not on my bingo card but YOU SURE DID!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

This book was a sweet surprise! I wasn’t expecting this take on Poseidon and Icarus, and I absolutely devoured it with no notes. Made me cry the last few minutes! Truly one of the best in the series! I did listen to the audio while reading the eBook and THE PERFORMANCE BY THE NARRATORS WAS SPECTACULAR!

The way both of them(Poseidon and Icarus) were healing at the same time in more ways than one was so beautiful. Poseidon with his tender heart and brave soul makes my heart ache, I want all the good things for this big guy 🥹💗

Icarus, OHHHHHH ICARUS! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH OMG! He was incredibly tenacious and vulnerable, what a way to give us character development! 💗

Thank you to @sourcebookscasa for the free eBook!

#DarkOlympus #SweetObsession #NetGalley #Poseidon #Icarus

This was such a good continuation of this series. I can't get enough of it! Poseidon's and Icarus' story was particularly poignant for me, and though I have difficulty articulating why, I think it is because for so much of the story they were on the same page. The third act wrench thrown into the works was of a different sort because they managed to be working through their past traumas together in a way that very few of the other main characters did. Reminding us that dominant/submissive characters shouldn't be stereotyped into 'big strong man' = the dominant was also a refreshing take here. In short, I loved it!

I enjoyed that the plot of the series progressed quite a bit in this one. The spice was solid, but the book was overall slower than the rest for me.

This steamy modern retelling of Poseidon and Icarus brings heat, heart, and high stakes to Greek mythology. With Olympus on the brink of war, Poseidon finds himself the reluctant keeper of Icarus—his enemy, his temptation, and maybe something more. Their connection simmers with tension and vulnerability, challenging everything Poseidon thought he knew. Emotional depth, mythological intrigue, and fiery romance make this a standout read. Perfect for fans of forbidden love, mythology remixes, and captor-captive slow burns.

I’m giving this book a solid 3 out of 5 stars (rounding down from 3.5). Compared to the previous installment in the series, this one definitely stepped up with more plot development and a noticeable increase in steamy scenes. The added depth to the story kept me engaged and genuinely excited to see where the series will go next. While it wasn’t perfect, the progress in the storyline made a big difference. No matter what, this series is one I’ll always reach for when I want a mix of romance and intrigue.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an ARC of this book.

This wasn't my favorite in the series, and it felt very much like a filler book until the final plot. I don't feel like the plot advanced forward any we're still just waiting for Circe to attack. As well, neither of these characters have been that important to the plot so far, so I didn't really care about what was happening with them.

Seeing bits of Hera/Zeus is what kept me interested, and I am looking forward to finally getting their book.

The best Dark Olympus book in a while and felt like a completed story and not as rushed as some of the previous

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sweet Obsession
Author: Katee Robert
Dark Olympus #8

Poseidon and Icarus.. 🥵. I’m obsessed with this series. I love Greek mythology (I’m actually Greek), and the way Katee has brought each of these stories about different characters to life is amazing. They are also steamy af and easy to read. This one was just as good as the rest of the series. After taking Icarus as his captive, Poseidon thinks he’s going to be his bargaining chip to win the war. However they end up developing a connection and Poseidon starts to care deeply for his sworn enemy. I loved the captor / captive relationship, and the political stuff in this book was actually intriguing to me. I loved getting to read about Poseidon as a main character. Also this book was spicy, and intense. Dark romance mythology readers unite! Thank you Netgalley and SourceBooks for my copy!

If Katee Robert writes it, I will read it!
Yet again we are within the world of the Olympus and with each new installment, we learn more about the secrets and political intrigue that are behind the scenes.
Poseidon was a character that I did not have on my radar on the beginning but after the events of where the Dark Restraint left us with Ariadne, I adored seeing the rise and fall of her brother, Icarus, and his complicated relationship with Poseidon.
Dangerous. Obsessive. Captive.
I ate this book up.

I really enjoy this series, and have been going through the books at quite a good pace. This one was no different!
The tone here was maybe a little different, with less political maneuvering or trying to get the approval of the public, but the love story was there with Icarus and Poseidon. Maybe a little fast for my liking, but I adored them together!
I also love where the overarching storyline is going, it makes me so excited for the next book!