Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC copy!

This is a Sunshine-Grumpy trope, which is one of my favs and given this has roots in Greek mythology, I was psyched to read this one! I do want to mention that Her Lord of Death contains some adult content and dark themes such as sexual abuse, rape, torture etc. Readers, please be mindful of these triggers!

Archeron, has had a very dark and difficult past and starts off as a someone whose difficult to understand and connect with, however, he does go through an evolution, which the author handles very deftly.. Kora, our fmc, obviously has a kind heart and watching these two together was a wonderful experience.

A good read!

Although I found the idea interesting and wanted to know what happened between Kora and Acheron, found Medea as a character with potential, I got lost over and over again with all the characters and different events. I felt overwhelmed many times until I couldn't take it anymore. I'm sure there are readers who will enjoy this book, but it was not the right choice for me; maybe I will give it another try in the future.

Show of hands, who's read Lover Awakened by JR Ward?
Those of you that have, you know all about Zsadist. Well, Acheron is pretty much Zsadist circa Ancient Greece...minus the whole vampire thing. And that means you know to expect a lot of fresh hell bubbling up from his tormented soul. I mean some truly hellacious stuff. But Zsadist has nothing on Acheron, guys! That's saying a lot.

I'm all for a tortured hero, but the level of heinousness Acheron has endured was at times REALLY uncomfortable. Others might not be so disturbed by it (reader preference). I'm not going to lie, I'm a wuss, so I skimmed some of it. If you've got a gut of steel and you're prepared for some rape, gore, graphic details, veiny cocks, twisted villains, and some awkward, frustrating sex scenes (duh, the guy hates himself and his well-endowed male plumbing, so it makes for some cringey, tragic moments), then this gem is for you. If not, reader beware. Not trying to scare you off because, for the most part, it is an elegant romance with enough tender moments to counterbalance the grit and gut punches. The mythology and the well-researched detail of the ancient world really brought the tableau to life. Also Kora is pretty fantastic, the slash of sunlight in his gloomy, brooding shadow. She and Oz keep the story from being too dark. "Zeus's Cock!" Oz is definitely a favorite. The Robin to Acheron's Batman, sprinkling lighthearted Oz-isms in our hero's dark wake.

The beginning was a bit of a ramble, though, and I'm not sure Medea should've been the character to start with (Kora and Acheron being the main characters), so I did skim read a little. But about 20% into the book, I began to sink into the story and rub my hands together. The forced marriage trope is after all one of my favorite tropes!
Anyway, it's mostly a somber romance with a lot of modern F-bombs thrown about, but that's to be expected because I'm sure even the ancients used the type of words to make your mother twitch. So that didn't bother me. There's also a subtle Hades and Persephone analogy going on between Acheron and Kora which I appreciated.

Solid 3 stars because the writing was on par with some of the traditionally published books out there. But I'm just not into the repetitive failed sex scenes. I will say there was a lot of attention to detail; maybe a little too much since I did find myself glancing at the percentage marker at times to track my progress. Still, KA is an author to watch. And this was a tricky book to write considering the dark matter. Overall, a good read and an intriguing cover. I might try some of her other books just to get a taste of what else she can do. I'm just not that comfortable with the type of tortured hero that Acheron is. Otherwise it would have been a 4 star read. I probably will give it 4 stars since my discomfort isn't the fault of the story or the author's clever writing.

Acheron, champion of the king, with a very dark past. When his king demands he kills a monster and Marries to unit kingdoms. Kora the niece asked to marry a man which stories are told about. Together can they overcome a dark past for a bright future?

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

I received a copy of the book from Netgalley to review. Thank you for the opportunity.
A dark and intense romance that may not appeal to all readers. The writing is quite good.
An OK read.

Trigger warning: violence, abuse, rape.

This is one of those times when the idea caught my attention, the characters are interesting but the execution is what makes the rating go low.

Kora and Acheron is what I like to call the sunshine with the grumpy one (one of my favorite relationship tropes ever). Kora is a young, witty woman who comes from a wealthy family and that has the ability to see ghosts; Acheron is basically a warrior, someone who was made slave at a young age and then fought all the way to earn his freedom.

And, this being a Greek mythology re-telling? I was sure I’d love this. Unfortunately, it had everything to become a new favorite but it was kind of a flop for me.

I’ll try to enlist a few reasons why I didn’t particularly liked it:

-First of all I didn’t like that for the most part of the book it relied on the miscommunication trope. Seriously, I couldn’t get why they loved each other when all they did was fight and misunderstand each other –aside from the fact that they had sex, I didn’t get their connection at all.

-The ending seemed a bit rushed compared to the other 90% of the book and instead of feeling accomplished I finished a book, I felt relief because then I could move on to better stories. That’s never a good sign.

-The writing style wasn’t my favorite either but that’s entirely on my taste.

-This should come with a trigger warning since not everybody wants to read about rape, abuse and violence. I don’t really mind reading dark romances, but I know some people do, so there’s that.

This was the first time I read something from the author but I’m not sure I’ll be reading more of her works. I know some people might be interested in reading a historical romance, and I’m sure a lot more would enjoy it but it just didn’t work for me.

ARC from NetGalley

This was a good fantasy romance with a gripping plot and complex characters set in ancient Greece in the time of gods and goddesses and all that good stuff. I like a romance that actually has a good plot, and this book delivered. It was well done.

I found that the scenes where Acheron is clearly dealing with PTSD about his previous abuse to be really visceral, some more than others. They were really evocative and slightly disturbing. I would really caution people who have experienced past sexual abuse about reading this book, because it could make you feel some things you might not want to feel.

From the book blurb: Enter into an ancient Greek world both harsh and beautiful, a place of gods and magic--and love worth every sacrifice.

This book caught my attention from the start and didn't let go. Acheron was enslaved and was treated pretty horrifically before he was freed. The author did a great job making me feel for him. Kora is such a strong caring woman and exactly what Acheron needs to help him heal. The author does a wonderful job with the action in this book and the feelings come off the page.

I am hoping this book is part of a series and some of the loose ends will be tied up in other books because that is really the only thing wrong with this book. Either way I will be looking for more from this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for something dark and a bit different in their historical romance.

OH my word....I have no words for this book!! Well maybe a few lol.
This story grabbed me by the throat and didnt let go til the very last page. It was heartbreaking and so beautiful at the same time. Acheron....he broke my heart and made me love him even more. A victim of abuse, he persevered til the end, slowly slowly overcoming his past. Kora was a delight. Her gentleness, love and kindness made her sucha strong character.
It was soooo hard to let go of this story. I truly loved it!

this was a really good read, I love the use of Greek myth and I enjoyed getting to know the characters. I look forward to more from the author.

An interesting fantasy romance that was quite good. Solid writing and characters helped move the story along quite well. ENjoyed

This is not a light read. Despite it being darker than my usual read, I enjoyed it.

the story centres around Acheron, former slave, who has suffered extensive physical and sexual abuse. He doesn't see himself as worth more than his fighting skills and his ability to kill. His relationship with Kora - he kills the monster, he marries her - develops very slowly because he has good reason not to want to be vulnerable. Kora too has her own difficulties, although not quite as traumatic as Acheron's. She lost her family and nearly drowned herself as a child and can now see the dead, a mixed blessing..

There are Greek myths woven into the story, details of Ancient Greek life, a sorceress Queen Medea and a lot of violence and trauma. there is also some humour, including Acheron's (only) friend Oz.

An engrossing read, even if darker than I expected.

First, I love Katherine Diane. Her writing is always a treat and this book is no exception. Her Lord of Death takes place in a time when Gods and Monsters ruled the world. And, boy oh boy do I love ancient Greek mythologies come to life!

Kora is the niece of a king whose kingdom is being terrorized by a murderous creature. A neighboring kingdom offers to kill said monster for an alliance. To seal the alliance Kora must marry the champion. Acheron, the neighboring king's champion, has a reputation for being the most brutal, deadly, and primitive fighter around. But Kora agrees to the bargain for the good of her people. She soon discovers that Acheron is more than his reputation and more is at play than just a simple marriage. Behind the scenes lie the machinations of a powerful queen that wants Kora’s unusual ability to see and speak with the dead and Acheron's past as a slave comes back to haunt him.

As I said, I love, love, love Katherine Diane's writing. I love her characters, her depth of story, and her 'verses. But, damn do I hate a tortured hero. But then, redemption is found, and we're all better for the journey but... Ugh, the getting there! But it's All So Good! Love to hate to love.

Her Lord of Death is built on a world of dark themes. So, if this isn't your bag... just beware. Our hero, Acheron has been through the wringer, and I just hate themes on drugging, incapacity, rape, and abuse. Especially sadistic characters that, ugh. It's just, not my thing. I had to stop reading Sherrilyn Kenyon because it was like every one of her heroes just went through so much torture and it was so much page time bringing you down into the pits of despair, I was contemplating smashing my Kindle, downing a bottle of wine and calling a 1-800-help hotline of some sort. So, that being said, I was already on the verge of being triggered by Kenyon flashbacks, but again, damn Diane's writing kept sucking me back in. Acheron goes through quite a mental journey and while Kora does push, and sometimes unknowingly too hard, he does make a breakthrough. I do wish we had more on page discovery and healing. I felt that by the time the mystery was resolved we were still at the beginning of Aceron's recovery. Kora was a high-quality strong female who knew her mind and strove to continue to have it and be heard. She was not some wilting flower that folded in the face of adversity. Kore was almost vehement in her ability to help, in her pursuit to be educated and contribute, and to be a partner strong enough to match Acheron. I love strong character's and Kora was definitely a winner here.

The world of monsters and Gods is so much fun. I am, as always, in awe of how authors can pull this out of their brains and come up with such unique stories. I love Acheron's sidekick and his fearless canine companion. The evil machinations of the queen were devious and brought a big layer of mystery and intrigue. The multiple POV from the character's added a layer of suspense that sometimes made me hesitant to turn the page because you KNEW something was coming and you weren't sure you wanted to find out.

Overall, Her Lord of Death was some seriously good reads and I recommend this for those who love Ancient Greece, gladiators, monsters, tortured heroes, and ladies with a whole lot of moxie.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

***Ancient historical, Magical and Mythical***

A really clever and engaging ancient historical/mythical romance, with a fair dash of magic and mysticism to add to a really excellent and rounded story.

Set in ancient Greece and Crete the story is of Acheron a soldier and former slave and a Kora, a princess. Their relationship is one based on a political arrangement, however they are drawn deeply to each other, but it is far from an easy or perfect relationship. Acheron has been through so much and while physically strong is quite a broken character.

This story is epic, oftentimes brutal, has plenty of twists and transported me thoroughly to the time of the Minoans. This novel had characters from ancient Greek mythology throughout: King Minos; Hades; the Minotaur; which I really appreciated and they were cleverly woven into the narrative. This book also had a fresh and original take on those well known myths.

I'd recommend this book to readers who enjoy ancient historical romances stories heavily influenced by Greek mythology.

A very interesting and we'll written book, with fascinating characters and a very engaging storyline throughout the story.

Roman myths are delightfully reimagined in Katherine Diane's Her Lord of Death.

At the heart of this tale is a broken and abused man. Acheron is a warrior, once a slave, a fighter in Mino's colosseum, a survivor of torture and rape. Katherine Diane makes it clear ahead of time that there are delicate subjects in Her Lord of Death, and it is a rare talent who handles such subjects with the care and empathy that she does.

Roman mythology's tangled web mixes expertly with the romantic elements between Acheron and Kora, the patient, intelligent heroine of the story. There is a well thought out plot that dominates this novel over the steamier elements. Katherine has found an expert balance between story and romance, creating a realistic tone both emotionally and historically.

All the characters are intricate, from the villains to the secondary characters. Medea is a queen suffering the grief of losing a child, and her actions, though wrong, are understandable. Oz, a sailor merchant who once battled with Acheron in the pits, is a lovable beast of a man with his own flaws. But it is perhaps the depth of Acheron's battle as a strong, resilient male who suffers agonies and anxieties from the emotional scarring of sexual abuse that sets this novel above others.

Many a woman has been the subject of this brutality, or placed as the "heroine" in erotic romance novels, subjugated to dominant male presences. Such is not the case in Her Lord of Death. Poignant and delicate in handling the topic of sexual abuse committed on males, Her Lord of Death is intimate rather than crude, succeeding in many ways erotic romance so often misuses or refuses to tread.

Through the trauma of abuse, death, grief, and violence that dances over the pages, Her Lord of Death is more about heart, love, and dedication.

Took a little while for me to get into the story, but once I settled in I really enjoyed the story and the characters. It was a lot more brutal and devastating than I anticipated and at times difficult to read.
There were a few times where the story lost me, especially with the mythological aspects, but that was only a small part of the story.
Would definitely pick up more of this authors work, her writing was easy to fall into and I loved the relationships she created.

I love Greek mythology and was pleasantly surprised by how good this book is. I think I was expecting it to be a steamy romance with a nod to the mythology but this blew me away!

Archeron is a prized fighter who is sent by king Aegis to help a neighbouring kingdom fight a strange monster in exchange for marriage to that king’s niece Kora. Archeron was a former slave and is seen as very brutish. Kora is a strange woman who can communicate with the dead. Throw in Medea, King Aegis’ wife who is manipulating all this for her own strange ends and some other characters and we have a very interesting plot. I don’t want to say much more for spoilers.

I thought the story would be man meets woman, fights monster, they hate each other, have lots of steamy sex and fall in love. This is something quite different and so much more than just a cliched trope. For one, Archeron has a very troubled history of abuse from his slave days and sometimes violent issues with intimacy. Kora has her own demons and doesn’t fully understand her powers. Their relationship is fraught with tension and navigating the issues around his abuse. I found it fascinating how the author dealt with physical and sexual abuse from a male point of view and the long term ramifications on normal life when it isn't addressed or dealt with.

The bad guys are also not always what they seem, the monsters are not always monsters, and the humans are not always humane. Some of the action and mythological scenes had some holes and I have lots of spoilerery questions that I will save for other discussions. All in, I really enjoyed this book. I don’t know if this will be a series as there are some unfinished issues at the end, but it is still a great stand alone. As I mentioned, there are some issues with the mythological aspects/world building but this is still a very strong 4 stars for me. It is quite dark and twisty and I’m putting a trigger warning - it deals with some graphic physical and sexual abuse, but it is still a very beautiful story.

I struggled with this, the dark themes I was okay with, I read these books when the mood suits me and they fit with the setting and times. It’s actually the relationships I struggled with, I found there was no real chemistry between Kora and Acheron, it lacked emotion, feeling and a connection. I actually enjoyed the story but just found this bugged me all the way through, so 3 stars for me but It could have been more

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I really enjoyed "Her Lord of Death". This is my first book to read by Katherine Diane and I can honestly say I will be looking into her other works and crossing my fingers that we might see another book in this world that follows Oz.

I am a fan of ancient worlds and gods/goddesses having a role in the story. The fact that the characters had to fight and endure so much, especially Acheron, just makes you want to cheer for them that much more. There are some dark topics in this book such as rape, torture, and PTSD. To be able to survive such horrific instances and for so long shows what a strong person Acheron is.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.