It was all right, I was expecting a bit more though to be honest.
They went from not liking each other to love in the matter of pages. I missed the yearning and the build up.
Hades was a bit annoying as well.
Unfortunately I was not convinced by the relationship.
Otherwise it was an easy fun read.

I recieved an eARC from he publisher/author through Netgalley, but my original rating that stands is from my first read of this book in it's original form in 2020.

I loved this book so much upon my first read five years ago, and honestly I loved all of the footnotes in this edition. If it hadn't been pointed out I would not have noticed most of the edits K.R. made, but I think a modern audience who is coming from Dark Olympus to Wicked Villains could appreciate those.

To be transparent, I am a lover of this series. It hits all of my boxes, and at the time I originally started it way back in 2020 before all of the books were even out, it hit even more of them than now. This honestly works so well for me, and has all the elements I personally love. A villainous, dark retelling of Disney movies? This one being my favourite, Hercules? Reimagined as Meg & Hades being a couple and Hercules coming in to shake things up? With a lot of Greek Mythology elements? And badass female friendships? Taking place in a BDSM club with great representation (in all areas) and mafia book adjacent? Hell yeah. It helped me work through some struggles I was going through in my own sexuality as well, which is why I now own the hardback versions K.R. released a few years ago as well as the FaeCrate special editions. And I will buy every version with the new cover in paperback as they come out too. These books have meant a lot to me.

To get into the story, besides it just being well written, this is a very emotional story about a relationship in trouble. Meg and Hades have been together for years, but people change and some things can't be "fixed" when they go awry. Hades is manipulative and hard to get along with, and Meg is difficult and bristley. In comes Hercules: lover boy extraordinaire to help things along. Herc is Hades's "gift" to Meg to help soften things for their relationship. A glue to help pull the back together. This was such a great story to revisit and I plan to reread every book as it get re-released.


There are several trigger warnings, but I feel the author does a great job letting the reader know what they are at the start of the book. I'll add a few here just to give a brief overview of the subject matter handled: TW:CW include heavy BDSM elements, mentions of an abusive parent (father specifically), kidnapping, and mentions of child and spousal death.

when i first picked up this book, i didn’t read the synopsis and didn’t know what to expect. i wasn’t expecting to follow hades, meg, AND hercules but i was pleasantly surprised to find out they all share one another and that’s the one thing i can respect about katee robert’s book. i think it was an overall okay book, nothing stuck out to me entirely but it was an easy and good palate cleanser from my last book so!

Thank you Sourcebooks and Netgalley for the ARC.

If you're looking for a fun quick, spicy read - then this is for you! Have you ever wondered about the Disney movie Hercules and thought - yano what if Hades wasn't just a villain, but more of a romantic villain instead. Wait no further because this books gives you the content you want. Hercules x Meg x Hades - I didn't know I needed to read this until now.

This was honestly such a good time, I breezed through this and didn't realise how short it was until it was over (it felt quite abrupt all of a sudden to end there)! I loved the added extra content and author notes. It was so fun reading the author's thoughts behind why they were writing or the reason behind certain scenes. Or just comments like Hades LOL had me going.

This is definitely a book that is gonna make you fan yourself with the pages (or with your kindle) lots of spicy chilli peppers here, but it gave you what you said on the tin and I'm here for it.

If you want to enjoy a good time definitely check this book out and get the special edition extra content when it comes out August 5th!

Hercules is bartending to make a living after being kicked out of living with his father when he is approached by Meg, who has been sent to seduce him by her Dominant, Hades. After Hades interrupts their hookup, Hercules misinterprets the situation and makes a deal to Hades effectively selling himself to the older man for life. Meg wasn't given the full background information either, but the tension between the three eventually turns more than antagonistic.

For something that is effectively Disney fanfiction with the serial numbers filed off, this was a pretty decent book. I haven't actually watched the Hercules Disney movie or Hadestown, which were obviously big inspiration for Robert, but I wanted to read this book because I enjoyed her Hades/Persephone retelling, Neon Gods. I didn't enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed Neon Gods, but it wasn't all that bad either.

I'm still confused about the specifics of Meg's contract with Hades, which admittedly may be because this is the second book in the Wicked Villains series and I haven't read the first. I think the writing could've done with more clarity in the worldbuilding and the plot, as it does in some ways seem like something that would be tagged "plot? what plot?" if it were posted on a fanfiction website. It seems a little misleading that this was categorized on NetGalley under Adult General Fiction and Romance, not under erotica at all. It was still an enjoyable book to read though, and it was fun to read from the perspective of Hades and Meg, who are definitely both villains in their own way. I'd recommend this to people who want to branch out from reading smutty fanfiction on fanfiction websites to "real books" as an intermediate step of sorts. It’s also worth noting that the bonus stories at the end of the book contain spoilers for books later in the series, which is only noted in asterisks after the story has already begun.

In"*Learned My Lesson", the second book in her Wicked Villains series, Katee Robert delivers an electrifying, insightful, and empowering romance that is sure to captivate readers. This book not only serves up passion but also shines with its unapologetic embrace of sex, gender roles, and sexual orientation. Robert masterfully constructs a consensual, kink-positive universe where power dynamics are examined thoughtfully, allowing for a rich tapestry of identities and desires—all without shame or judgment. The relationship between Hades, Meg, and Hercules is emotionally complex, steamy, and beautifully fluid—a true celebration of queer, polyamorous love.

Bold, inclusive, and utterly delightful, "Learned My Lesson" represents everything erotic romance should encompass. Robert's powerful voice is engaging and confident, striking a perfect balance between emotional depth and sizzling tension. From the very first page, her storytelling enraptures you and never releases its hold. "Learned My Lesson" is a remarkable addition to the genre: inclusive, exhilarating, and brimming with heart.

Amazing mix of mythology, kink, BDSM, deals you shouldn't be making, private clubs, and more than a bit of humor! Olympus crowd like you never saw them, and never thought you would see them as Hercules makes a deal with Hades and has no idea what he is getting into, literally! These books are way too much fun and author notes are a great addition, and often hilarious. Just read it, but maybe not in public ...

I will read anything Katee writes. This was is no exception. Great story, great characters. I loved the annotations and reading Katee's thoughts while she wrote the book. The extra stories at the end were great as well.

I originally read the Indie version of this book last year. Rereading it now with Katee’s annotations makes me love this book even more. Getting to see all the Easter eggs again made me giggle with glee.

As is so often the case with Robert's work, this is exactly what is on the tin. You are going to get a spicy, fairly dark (but always consensual) romance with deep feelings and some plot to glue it together. I very much enjoyed the very adult spin on the mythological characters. While the book is spice/feelings heavy, a surprising amount of plot does sneak in and the world building is amazing as one would expect from Robert. The trope that makes this a real shining star is the oft-unused "established relationship/marriage gets saved" theme. Sometimes it is nice to see established relationships turn into fresh HEAs, now with a bonus partner and all new feelings!

Katee Robert is by far one of my favorite authors. I love almost everything I have read by her. This one however, was my first read of any of her Wicked Villains books, and it just was not as enjoyable. I may be comparing it to her Dark Olympus books, but it is part of that world, so I was hoping it would be just as captivating.

The book does have excellent spice and I do really like Meg, but the other elements just fell a little flat.

One thing I really did enjoy about this book were her notes in sections of it. I absolutely loved seeing her thoughts and reasoning and little extra quips about specific sections and characters. I would love it if all her books had her notes like that. It really added depth to the book.

JEEEEZUUUSSSS… How is, what amounts to Disney porn, this good?!? Seriously?!?

I certainly liked this one a whole lot more than I liked the first one, and I think that’s because, as I said in that review, the kink just didn’t work for me personally (CNC, daddy kink), and while I am not a kinky person in practice, the idea of dom/sub is one that I can understand a whole lot more, and one that I enjoy reading.

So, in this kinky take on Disney princesses/villains, we have Hercules, Meg, and Hades in a very queer poly triad. The how and why of getting there has to do with Hades trying to fix his relationship with Meg while also getting revenge on Zeus for past wrongs. Again, this is basically just a book about a lot of kinky sex, but I did like the other storyline more than I liked the one in Desperate Measures.

And I’m really glad that I gave the second book a try after not really liking the first one that much.

The Dark Olympus series was my first foray into Katee Robert’s writing, so even though these books came earl;over in publication order, I had never given them a go. But wow. Did I love Learn My Lesson.

Ok, let’s start off with plotting. Had I read other books in this series? No. Did it hinder my reading experience? Also no. Am I going to go out and back read them all? You bet. The story was easy to follow and engaging right from the beginning. Obviously, this is a smut heavy book that dominates the plot, but it wasn’t at the expense of the overall plot or the characters.

Speaking of characters, Hercules. Damn. What a wonder, the big blob of himbo with a saviour complex was so fun to read from the perspective of. But as a Dark Olympus reader, his perspective was also bittersweet, I don’t think the big sweet boy realises how much his sisters think of him and that they miss him. Meg, delicious, strong, empowering Meg. I was obsessed with her. I love that even though Hades was the authorative figure in all of this, she had agency. And Hades, what a great character, his dubious moral compass was incredibly well written and the dynamics of the three together worked well. They all contrasted and complimented each other beautifully.

The fact that this version came with annotations from Katee Robert elevated the reading experience, and, as someone who has been following them for years now, I absolutely could hear their voice cutting into the story to further elaborate.

Thank you to Netgalley, Katee Robert and publishers, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. These thoughts are all my own.

Power. Pleasure. Punishment. Welcome to the Underworld.

Learn My Lesson turns the Hades-Megara myth into a dark, delicious power game—where love is the sharpest weapon and desire is never simple.

When Hercules tries to save Meg, he walks straight into Hades’s trap… and into a twisted, irresistible triangle. But Meg doesn’t need saving—she rules the Underworld. And Hades? He never plays fair.

Robert blends emotional vulnerability with high-heat kink, layered power dynamics, and unexpected tenderness. Consent is king, pain is catharsis, and the chemistry is off the charts.

★ ★ ★ ★ — A wickedly sharp, gloriously filthy polyamorous retelling. Dark, tender, and addictive.

So like, is everyone supposed to be hot or what.
Fun, steamy, exciting, kinky, sexy and did I mention steamy?
Perfect read for all my smut loving friends.
I’m still fanning my face from reading some of these scenes, hot hot hot.
(I also loooved reading the author’s annotations throughout the book, so fun)

Steamy, smart, and surprisingly emotional. I loved this take on Hades and Meg - especially the poly rep and how the trauma elements were handled. It’s got heat, heart, and a very dark edge. If you’re here for spice with plot and power dynamics, this is the one.

3.5 ⭐️

I read the deluxe edition arc with the author’s annotations and bonus contents and quite enjoyed it.
I did appreciate having insights into the author’s mind and thought this made my reading more enjoyable

The story was good but I found some parts hard to understand (especially when it was about other characters or when the author was making reference to the other books) because I haven’t read the author’s previous/other work

The spicy scenes were plenty and would satisfy people’s needs

I did skim some parts and had a hard time concentrating on the book but that was probably because of not being in the right mood

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the e-arc!

ARC Review: Learn My Lesson by Katee Robert
Pub Date: August 5th

I read this as an indie book so this is a revisit for me - and I really enjoyed my time with these characters again!

While the kink and dynamics in this book aren't quite *for me* I always appreciate Katee's care in writing kink and I love that this deluxe edition includes their footnotes which offers a little more insight!

This series is a favorite of mine when I'm needing something super spicy with minimal plot - highly recommend checking them out!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*Happy sigh* This edition was such a delight, and suited 2025 May's taste beautifully. 2022 May was a silly girl who thought every character needed to be perfect, a good person, and never do wrong to the other MC(s). Katee Robert changed my tastes forever. I cannot believe I loved a marriage in trouble story so much.

As with every Katee masterpiece, there was aplenty of pining, angst, and so much yummy grovelling! I ate it the heck up! I also love in this edition seeing Katee's thought process via the annotations. I love knowing that my feelings are shared. Hades thinking giving his girl another boyfriend will fix everything, probably is a bit borderline delusional. I loved seeing Katees smart comments about it all! And I loved seeing the changes from the original edition! So many little easter eggs!

I loved seeing the way Hercules grounded both Meg and Hades. I also always fall hard for a himbo. I always appreciate how Katee with never forget to touch on each relationship and it's development. Hades and Hercules were so sweet it hurt... and I just !!! This book !!! So much good spice !! Such good character development !! A Katee Robert classic.

I am so happy and grateful that I was able to revisit this story! Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca for this eArc! ❤

I am just weeeeeeeeeeeee!! eee!!! And so so excited for the re-release of Worthy Opponent!

Katee Robert really is the best to ever do it. Her take on Hades, Meg, and Hercules was just so much fun. I love that Meg is a little dark, I love golden boy Hercules, and Hades and his shadowy nature rounds them out so perfectly.