Me: “There’s no such thing as a perfect Hades and Persephone retelling.”
Katee Robert: “Hold my beer.”

I’m struggling to articulate just how enamored I was by this book. Never have I wanted so badly to reread a book while still reading it.
Not convinced that you need this book in your life yet? Alright, let me elaborate.
Neon Gods, the first installment in Robert’s new series Dark Olympus follows Persephone Dimitriou, a society darling who wants nothing to do with her mother’s ambitions. Planning to leave the ultra-modern city of Olympus behind her as soon as her inheritance kicks in, her plans get thwarted when Zeus – yes, the Zeus – announces his and Persephone’s engagement, orchestrated by her mother.
Not one to play her mother’s games any longer and far too afraid of what Zeus will do to her if he gets that ring on her finger, Persephone flees her impromptu engagement party and decides to run away. When Zeus’ people come after her, Persephone has two choices: turn back and let others decide her life for her, or make a devil’s bargain with the man, the myth, the legend himself: Hades.
What starts out as a mutually beneficiary deal – Hades will grant Persephone safe haven and she in turn will do everything in her power to make Zeus jealous about her new alliance…and romance with Hades, his bitter rival – turns into the love story of a lifetime as the protective walls these two have built around them crumble and the world’s grandest power couple is born.
Persephone and Hades have met their match in each other. They share a lot of similar traits – they’re both cunning when they have to be, sarcastic and quick-witted, and smart beyond measure. To learn about them on their own and what makes them tick is already enough to draw you in from page one.
But together? They’re indestructible.
Robert knows how to craft banter that will keep your eyes glued to the page but dare I say, in Neon Gods the dialogue was almost next level? Hades and Persephone work so great because they bounce off each other and though they are both extremely guarded people, it was a pleasure to watch them lower the walls they’ve built to keep others at bay for no one but each other. If there’s one trope I’m a sucker for, it’s the “I hate everyone in the world but you” trope and damn it, if these two don’t bring it.
And that’s nothing to say of the incredible development of the romance in Neon Gods. Robert somehow strikes the perfect balance between steamy scenes, kinky goodness and genuine love and affection in Persephone and Hades’ relationship. And the chemistry between these two is ridiculous. Ridiculous, I tell you. I get shivers just thinking of their interactions. SHIVERS.
The thing that too me by surprise the most in this book were the incredibly sweet moments between Hades and Persephone. It’s a known fact that Robert can bring the steam (you have not lived until you’ve read the A Touch of Taboo series) and there’s plenty of steamy and kinky scenes in Neon Gods. But there are also the most heartwarming displays of affection which are all the more endearing because they come from Hades, who’s got this rep as total grump and yes, he totally has his grumpy moments, but I just could not handle this man’s kindness – the heartfelt moments he shares with Persephone and the secret things he does to help his people ruined me.
Beyond the impeccable romance, there’s also a greater plot at large – without taking too much away from the story, I’ll just say that the politics and scheming of these Gods does not stop just because this is set in contemporary times. If anything, the advances of technology and the likes only add to their powers. Zeus is terrifying enough in the ancient mythology, but in here, he’s downright omnipotent, it seems. Not to mention that the rivalry between Hades and him left me breathless at times. There’s also an amazing cast of secondary characters that any mythology fan will love (Hermes is a personal favorite) and they added so much to this well fleshed-out story. I loved the glimpses we’ve gotten at the other people who are vying for a seat at the table (or, like Demeter, will do anything to keep theirs and advance their ambitions) and I cannot wait to see where this series will take us next.
If you need me, I’ll be in my room, silently begging Katee Robert to give me the rest of the Dark Olympus series before I spontaneously combust.
Steamy, sexy and surprisingly sweet, Neon Gods is the scandalous and flawless Hades and Persephone retelling of your dreams – a mesmerizing first installment in what promises to be an unputdownable series!

Heat Factor: Look, the King of the Underworld has a certain reputation to maintain
Character Chemistry: Sparring that veers into dominance play, but underneath all that they really come to care for each other
Plot: A sexy Hades / Persephone retelling (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persephone#Abduction_myth) with some serious anti-Zeus intrigue happening
Overall: Satisfyingly fun and sexy

Let me tell you something about myself. When I was younger, I read Edith Hamilton’s Mythology dozens of times. Just the Greek bits, but still. I was really really into mythology. Which makes it somewhat surprising that this is actually the first mythology romance retelling that I’ve ever read (I have read more literary retellings of various myths). Maybe I was worried that it wouldn’t be faithful to the source material?

I shouldn’t have been. First of all, because the source material is already so eclectic that we can’t really say that there is One True Version of any story, and secondly because, well, the Persephone story is rich with possibility. (If you’ve read any good ones, I am all ears!)

Which brings me to Neon Gods, which is Robert’s take on Persephone. Overall, it’s really, really fun, as well as sexy (not as sexy as some of her other stuff). Robert imagines a world where Olympus sits in a liminal place; we’re definitely in a modern world, because we have cell phones, but Olympus itself is surrounded by some sort of (maybe magical?) barrier that distances it from the rest of the world. As in, people can’t physically leave without intervention. The city-state is ruled by The Thirteen, whose titles and roles match thirteen Greek gods.

Demeter, as one might expect, manages the food supply (I guess this need extra management due to the magical barrier). She and Persephone have a…fraught relationship. When the story opens, Persephone is at a fancy party, where Demeter and Zeus blindside her with an engagement—Zeus is on the market for wifey #3. In a panic, Persephone bolts, and ends up crossing the river Styx, thereby crossing another magical barrier and entering Hades’ domain. And then she and Hades make a sex pact so that Zeus won’t want her any more, as one does.

Here’s what’s fun about this book. Persephone and Hades have a banter-y grumpy-sunshine dynamic that just really works, both within the framework of the myth retelling and as a way to develop the relationship between the characters. There are all kinds of little treats sprinkled throughout the book for mythology nerds like me, like the time Persephone convinces Hades to adopt a puppy so he won’t be lonely when she leaves, and he ends up getting three black dogs, because of course he does. Plus, Hermes and Bacchus make repeat appearances, and some of their interactions with Hades cracked me up.

Here’s what’s sexy about this book. Hades and Persephone have a decent amount of sex, including some sex club exhibitionism. But what’s really great about it is how obviously intentional each scene is in building the layers of the relationship as it develops. This is not voyeurism for the sake of reading about sex, but rather to demonstrate the shifts in how Hades and Persephone perceive each other and themselves.

And here’s my one (minor) quibble. I wanted more world-building. I wanted details about how people become gods/politicians. Three positions are hereditary, but the rest are not—are they elected? Are they chosen somehow? Do people retire? How much of Hermes’ skills are magic, given to her after she got the job? How does Olympus relate to the rest of the world? I was just intensely curious about the nitty-gritty details of how this world works…but that’s not really the point of the book. Luckily, this is the first in a new series, so I expect that we’ll get a more rounded view of how Olympus works as we get to know more characters. I, for one, can’t wait.


I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

This book has everything I adore from a Katee Robert book - deep connection between characters, emotional depth and growth, and, of course, super steamy scenes. A fantastic take on the Hades/Persephone myth with Katee's signature style making it incredibly compelling and enjoyable.

***3.5*** This was a sexy and imaginative take on the Hades and Persephone story. Persephone finds herself an unwilling pawn in her mother’s ambition for power. Sold to the notorious and murderous king Zeus himself as his future wife, Persephone must find a way to escape and find the freedom she’s always yearned for; but can she escape with her life intact and will Hades of all people provide the freedom she so craves?

The world that Katee Robert has created is so immersive, I was hooked from page one. I loved the setting for this book, the modern take on Olympus was fascinating. I also really loved the characters, Persephone and Hades in particular I thought were done really well. Hades had so much depth to him and I loved Roberts choice to make him softer and less rigid. My complaint about this book is I really wanted more plot and backstory. The world was so interesting and I really wanted to know more about the Thirteen, how the underbelly of the upper and lower cities worked and I really wanted more of Hades background. I have so many questions. Why did Zeus kill Hades family? Did Hades parents do something to Zeus’ child? What was Hades name before he became Hades? I also felt like we didn’t really get to see as much of the development of the relationship between Hades and Persephone as we should. We got glimpses of their time together but mostly we see the engaging in the sexy times but I would have liked to see more of them interacting in a more platonic way.

Overall, this was a fun, engaging book and I am definitely interested in reading about other characters in this world. I will definitely be checking out some of Katee Roberts back catalogue. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun book. Katee Robert has a gift of writing compelling stories that are still including incredibly steamy scenes. I cannot wait to see the world Katee builds and watch this connect to her other series.

Whew. Is it hot in here?

I don’t think there’s a single more magical thing than a retelling of Hades & Persephone. Seriously. The forbidden aspects, the sacrifices, the simple way that they play off one another.
These characters were no different in a lot of those aspects, keeping true to the myths, as well as expanding on the necessary subjects, and bringing this particular pair to life.
I think this particular version of Hades may be my new favorite, a good amount of heat, but also a perfect amount of sweet. And how many times do you get to say that about the Lord of the Underworld?
And this Persephone was an intriguing mix of sass and sunshine, kind of a beauty with bite. I adored the banter between these characters.
A filthy fairytale, and an excellent beginning to a new series.

Ahhh this was such delicious sinful read. Katee never disappoints. I love Greek Mythology and the tale about Hades and Persephone is one of my most favorite and when I found out Katee will write a steamy book about it I was dying to read it. So big thank you to the publisher and net galley for making it happen. This is a must read for sure and anything this woman writes.

After seeing Katee Robert talk about this new series on Twitter I will admit to being intrigued and as I’m always up for any kind of mythology retelling I immediately added it to be TBR list.

I’m not sure what sub-genre to classify this book as. Definitely a retelling, and it IS a sort of fantasy since we are talking about Zeus, Hades, Demeter, Persephone, etc…, but these characters seem more like high flying billionaire politicians than gods. They don’t have any special powers, other than sex appeal I guess. And each of their positions is inherited like royalty. So maybe, erotic contemporary fantasy? Anyway, IT DOESN’T MATTER. This book rocked my socks off.

Persephone, and her sisters, are pawns to their mother’s ambitions. As the newly minted Demeter, she wants to keep climbing the power ladder, and one way to get there is a marriage between Persephone and Zeus. Persephone would effectively become the new Hera and a member of the thirteen. The thirteen are the ruling power of Olympus. Only Zeus’s last several wives died mysterious deaths and Persephone is filled with dread at the thought of a marriage to him. So she runs and ends up in the lower city. Which is Hades domain.

Hades rescues Persephone, but he also sees a way to finally get back at Zeus for the murder of his parents. They strike a deal, he will protect her for the next three months until she comes into her trust fund, and she will stay with him as his very public lover. She will be ruined and he will get his revenge.

To be honest, I was not expecting Hades to be such a wonderful caretaker, and almost right from the start. He carries her when her feet are injured from her mad dash to escape the city, he worries if she isn’t eating enough, he makes sure she has what she needs both physically and emotionally and I loved it. He’s supposed to be this hard-core alpha, but he was actually an amazingly sexy cinnamon roll.

Persephone is like a ray of sensual sunshine breaking through Hades’s walls and getting to the heart of him. They had tremendous chemistry and let me tell you absolute burn it all down sexiness together. One of his kinks is public sex and Persephone has no problem getting down and dirty with him. This book will singe your eyeballs with its hotness. I was not prepared. As they fall in love, they also realize their time is limited and will do whatever they have to do to protect each other. One of my favorite things? Persephone saves Hades and the lower city, she is the one who figures out a way for them to overcome the odds, defeat the bad guy, and be together.

There are frank conversations about consent and birth control and trust. There is hot sex and two people being completely honest with each other about their pasts, what they want, and what they need. There is interesting world-building and a different take on the Persephone and Hades mythology. Even the secondary characters are striking and charismatic and I can’t wait to read their stories. This book has everything and I enjoyed it so much.

Highly recommend.

Final grade- A

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this modern day retelling of the Persephone and Hades Greek Mythology with a VERY steamy twist. I completely enjoyed this story from beginning all the way till the end.
Persephone wants a life worth living outside of Olympus but must wait until she is old enough to claim her inheritance and leave Olympus for good, that is until she is tricked into an unwanted engagement to Zeus by her mother Demeter. With no other option left, Persephone runs away to the forbidden undercity and meets the Myth of the undercity, Hades. She make a bargain with him, make her an undesirable in Zeus eyes and make him believe that Persephone is now and forever belonging to Hades and within 3 months time Persephone can runaway from Olympus, never to return. How can Hades not take up on a chance to seek revenge against Zeus?

"Society darling Persephone Dimitriou plans to flee the ultra-modern city of Olympus and start over far from the backstabbing politics of the Thirteen Houses. But all that's ripped away when her mother ambushes her with an engagement to Zeus, the dangerous power behind their glittering city's dark facade.

With no options left, Persephone flees to the forbidden undercity and makes a devil's bargain with a man she once believed a myth...a man who awakens her to a world she never knew existed.

Hades has spent his life in the shadows, and he has no intention of stepping into the light. But when he finds that Persephone can offer a little slice of the revenge he's spent years craving, it's all the excuse he needs to help her—for a price. Yet every breathless night spent tangled together has given Hades a taste for Persephone, and he'll go to war with Olympus itself to keep her close..."

Thank you to Katee Robert and Sourcebooks Casablanca for approving me for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hades and Persephone re-telling? Sunny heroine and a dark grumpy hero who's secretly sweet? Lots of steamy scenes? PUPPIES??? SIGN ME UP FOR THE WHOLE THING!

I loved Neon Gods and the contemporary setting that Katee Robert creates with these greek myths. I absolutely love mythical re-tellings (especially Hades/Persephone) and I was anticipating reading this book so much! I am so glad I got approved for an ARC! This book has lots of steamy scenes but also really great romantic scenes between the MC's that will have you swooning. You do not really need to know greek mythology to read this book, which is great for those who may be unfamiliar with the backstories of many of these gods/goddesses. The supporting characters were well-developed, appropriately villainous (looking at you Zeus), and fun when needed. Definitely have me hooked for more of them in the series to come. I am looking forward to exploring more of this world in the rest of this series!

Neon Gods follows Persephone, a young woman desperate to avoid an hastily arranged marriage with the villainous Zeus. After being chased, she stumbles into Hades’ forbidden terrain across the river where she strikes a bargain. Seeing an opportunity for revenge, Hades agrees to let her stay with him. As political pressure from Zeus intensifies and Hades learns about the real Persephone behind her polite society mask, the budding romance between them can no longer be contained. When spies infiltrate Hades’ territory, Persephone’s sisters become pawns, and Persephone must choose what and who she really wants.

Neon Gods is a fun and romantic take on Hades and Persephone. Katee Robert delivers the dark and steamy romance that she’s known for from her previous books. I will never be tired of reading interpretations of Hades and Persephone's story! Robert creates a passionate and alluring relationship between them. Hades is alternately stern and tender, while Persephone struggles to find her balance in a new world. There is always a strong emphasis on consent and checking in with partners, especially as their encounters drastically increase in heat. I would have liked to see more development with world-building and explanation behind the magical powers. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series! Neon Gods releases June 1, 2021. Thank you to Katee Robert, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on the publication date and I will publish it on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble etc

Neon Gods by Katee Robert is an intense, sexual voyage into a modern day retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth.

Ever since her mother was voted the new Demeter, Persephone and her sisters have been society darlings: smiling and waving to the paparazzi, always dolled up. But when Persephone is given to the violent Zeus to be his next bride, Persephone sees no other option but to run. Broken down and desperate, Persephone crosses the River Styx only to run into the arms of the one person she was raised to believe is a myth.

Hades has kept to his side of the river for years, abiding by the rules set in place by all thirteen members of the council that rules Olympus. He'll stick to the lower city as long as Zeus stays on the upper side. But when Zeus' new fiancée crosses the River Styx and Zeus demands Hades return her, Hades sees his chance at revenge.

While Persephone wants safety and Hades wants revenge, neither expects to find understanding, respect, and even love in each other's arms.

Neon Gods is a dark, modern look at Hades and Persephone. Set in the city of Olympus, Hades and Zeus run their parts of the city like rival mafias, and most of the other leaders, like Demeter, Ares, and Poseidon, are all on Zeus' side. I loved the set up and background that Katee Robert gave this story. Neon Gods might feature the old Greek gods, but readers will not have to be familiar with even the Hades and Persephone story to be able to enjoy this story. Many Hades and Persephone retellings aren't truly modern but Neon Gods certainly is, featuring smart phones and video calls. I loved that Persephone is not the wilting flower of so many retellings; she is strong and brave and knows exactly what she wants and needs from Hades. There's also a darkness to the sex scenes, something both Hades and Persephone need, that takes Neon Gods to the next level. And while there is no shortage of sex scenes, Katee Robert makes sure they count; nothing feels thrown in or gratuitous.

Neon Gods is a fantastic modern reimaging of the Hades and Persephone myth with something for fans of Greek lore, romance, and strong, intelligent female leads.

A Hades/ Persephone retelling by super steamy all time favorite author Katee Robert that includes a grumpy Dom hero and a sunny (or is she?) sub- YES PLEASE!

Persephone has been essentially given to Zeus by her mother Demeter but she doesn’t want to marry him so she runs. Crossing the River Styx into the waiting arms of the illusive, unknown Hades. What starts as a plot for Hades to get revenge on Zeus and Persephone to get away from the expectations of Olympus turns into a full on feelings relationship.

From a character standpoint I loved this version of Hades and Persephone. Hades is the perfect grumpy villain whose not really a villain. I loved how he cared for Persephone when she doesn’t take her injury or health seriously and how he subtly is overseeing all the lower city population. The backstory of his parents, his reasons for remaining hidden and urge for revenge was executed flawlessly.

I wasn’t sure about Persephone in the beginning, she seemed too happy and willing to go along with the persona expected of her. But she turned it around for me crossing the River Styx, bargaining with Hades and accepting her submissive desires. How she brings Hades out of his exile, accepts him and find her voice shedding the good girl image made me stand up and cheer for her.

The SEX! I wouldn’t be a Katee Robert book without some steamy, sexy, hot as hades (pun intended) scenes. I loved the Hades as a Dom aspect! These two heated up the pages for sure!

I don’t know a ton about Greek mythology and for this story you don’t need to know, which I loved. I don’t like when an author expects the reader to know every back story of every God. In Neon Gods, the Gods are ruling 2 different cities. The upper city, ruled by Zeus is full of glittery, superstars, cutthroat politicking while the lower city, ruled by Hades is more what we would consider normal, everyday life. I enjoyed the aspect of the Gods as people that the name is handed down to either thru a family line or earned, instead of a mythical, powerful, magical being.

As with every first book in a new series there is some world building but I wasn’t overwhelmed by it and didn’t feel lost or that it was excessive. The way the characters are introduced left me wanting to know more about them and interested in their HEA’s. Overall, a wonderful opening to a new series and I can’t wait for the next one.

Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the ARC.

Neon Gods by Katee Robert is a steamy, modern retelling of Hades and Persephone's from Greek Mythology.

Now if you don't know me personally you wouldn't know my absolute fascination with Greek Myths, but I have loved them since I was a teen and first discovered Greek Mythology retold. Now as soon as I saw that Katee Robert was writing an adult modern retelling about Hades and Persephone, one of my favorite couples in Greek Myths, I was extremely excited, and even more so when I read the synopsis.

I am so very grateful to the publisher for letting me read Neon Gods early, this was by far one of my most anticipated reads of 2021. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I really loved the way the author set up the modern world of Olympus. I have read many Greek Myth retellings and I can truly say I have never read one quite like Neon Gods. I really loved the unique take that Katee Robert put on this mythology.

I also very much enjoyed both Hades and Persephone. Hades because the way that the author writes his character is so refreshingly different to what I think we're used to seeing from retellings of Hades and Persephone. This may be a Greek Mythology retelling, but there is no mistaking this as anything other than Katee Robert's story, and characters.

As I said in the beginning this book is quite steamy, which I am more than all for, and I have to say I really enjoyed this part. One thing that stood out for me in these scenes in Neon Gods is the consent factor. It was very well known to both the reader and the characters.

Overall, I very much enjoyed Neon Gods. While some places were a little bit slower paced, I really loved the world, the characters, and the story that Katee Robert has created in this new modern retelling of Greek Mythology in Neon Gods.

**Thank you to the publisher for the early review copy. My full review will be posted wide closer to release date.**

Thank you to Katee Robert, NetGalley, and Sourcebooks for the advance reader copy of Neon Gods, the first story in the Dark Olympus series.

I was over the moon to be approved for a copy of Neon Gods from Sourcebooks on NetGalley. I absolutely adored Katee’s series on Disney Villians, Wicked Villains. Like I really really loved the Wicked Villains series. And as someone who has always been a Greek mythology fan, I was so ready to dive headfirst into this Hades and Persephone retelling.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…
Characters: This modern version of Olympus brings the roles of gods and goddesses as titles. These titles can be inherited by your child like Hades, or married into like Hera or appointed like Demeter. The new Demeter has three daughters and one of them is Persephone. Unlike the myth, Hades does not steal Persephone away from her mother. When Demeter and Zeus agree to marry Persephone off to him, Persephone ran. And she ran right into Hades’ arms. When the story starts Persephone seems nothing more than a high society girl, all prim and proper; even virginal. She really has much more bite. Hades is a complicated soul, with a dark past and a need for revenge that runs deep. Persephone the smart girl she is takes advantage of it. Hades is your classic domineering alpha, while really he is still that broken little orphan boy who has cut himself off from everyone.
Setting: This take on Olympus is a little tweaked. There is an upper city and a lower city, separated by a treaty. I loved the small medieval town feel to the lower city versus the bougie upper city. The setting really informed the characters, as the lower city showed off how Hades is in touch with his people. And this is in direct contrast to how Zeus rules over the upper city.
Pacing: This is a much longer story than Katee tends to write and I loved it. The nature of the increased length really allows for the reader to fall deeper in love with the characters, world, and romance. I never wanted this story to end and I even delayed finishing it. I read it over three days so I would not engulf it in one.
Romance: Katee has always written top-charting romantic scenes. What is so special about this story is the powerfulness of the love she wrote between Persephone and Hades. I just love these all-encompassing romances, where the hero and heroine both need each other. For someone Hades, Persephone is a chance like he has never had to open up and trust again. For Persephone, Hades is the first person in her life to push her, and take her out of her comfort zone, to build a stronger more confident woman.

I wanted to love this one more than I did, but it just didn't do it for me. I liked the plot, and it definitely was a hot book, but something about the writing or dialogue just felt stilted and unnatural. I loved the way Persephone and Hades' relationship morphed over the course of the book though, and how Hades was actually a good person. The last few chapters were actually my favorite as the action ramps up, and you're not sure exactly what's gonna happen next.

Overall, I think a lot of people will enjoy this fun book that puts a unique spin on the Hades and Persephone myth. It just missed the mark a bit for me.

Well this was quite the read and I very much enjoyed this modern retelling of Persephone and Hades.

I'm fairly new to Katee's books and I'm a fan. I saw this one pop through many of my bookish friends, so I had to request this right away.

I was hooked right away and there was so much intrigue to keep reading. I'll admit, what I know of Hades and Persephone is all over. But I'm always fascinated by the retellings and this one is up there as a favorite.

Persephone is no damsel in distress and that's always how I've perceived her when it comes to various retellings. And pair her up with Hades, who is someone you don't quite expect.

Their story is a bit taboo, swift, HOT and packs in some emotions that I didn't really see coming.

I can't wait to read the rest of this series, this was a great start! Anddddddd I need to read more by Katee!

Power and politics, chemistry and consent abound in Katee Roberts’ erotic reimagining of Hades and Persephone. To avoid being forced to marry Zeus, Persephone escapes to the Lower City, where Hades rules under the terms of a tenuous treaty. They cut a deal and form a relationship of convenience -- to force Zeus' hand, she'll stay with Hades through the winter, if he'll help her get out of Olympus.

My knowledge of Greek mythology isn’t deep, but Roberts’ characters are well developed and it’s simple enough to catch on to who’s who.

Definitely on board for this series.

My review will be up on my blog on release day!

Hades x Persephone? By Katee Robert? My favourite author with one of my favourite retellings? This was a match made in heaven.

This book is so damn good, I devoured it so quickly! Neon Gods is set in this city called Olympus which is set in our world, just this new trio of cities exists. (Carver City and Sabine Valley are the other two cities and she has series written in both of them!) We follow Persephone the night that she is forced to be engaged to Zeus who is a monster and known for murdering his wives. Persephone flees and makes it to the Under City where she meets Hades.

Their relationship had me hooked immediately. I wouldn’t say they start off as enemies, it’s more of a reluctant allies situation that forms into a friendship and ultimately a relationship. The development felt so natural and real that it was easy to fall in love with their love.

I loved all of the ties and hints to the original Hades x Persephone story. We’ve got Cerberus and the timeline and the garden, just to name a few easter eggs. The Hades in this one had such a soft heart despite his intimidating exterior, he’s my favourite type of Hades for sure.

This book just has it all. A badass, intelligent woman who is confident in herself and her sexuality (Persephone and Hades are both queer!), a soft on the inside but will kill anyone who gets near his girl love interest, adorable puppies, violence and kinky sex, found family mixed in with blood family love, when I tell you this has everything– It really does.

I highly highly recommend this book and everything else Katee Robert had written. I need the next book right now!!

5/5 ⭐️

TW: violence, sexually explicit scenes, gun violence, blood, fire, death of a parent, assault, attempted murder, murder.

A phenomenal read. Katee Robert made a really smart choice in setting this retelling of the story of Hades & Persephone in a modern era. The characters are well developed and likable (those that are supposed to be anyway). Fans of steamy romance and Greek mythology will love this novel. I could not put it down!