Holy gods. This book was perfection. It was steamy AF. I loved the emphasis on consent, safe sex, and STD testing. I feel like we don’t see that enough in books. I really hope there’s more to this story because I devoured it in less than 24 hours. The writing was so good. It just made you get lost in this story and made you FEEL.

Robert masterfully turns the myth of Persephone and Hades on its head, making it modern and kinky. Exploring issues of consent through kink and the arranged marriage trope (which she delightfully subverts - the story is set in motion when Persephone finds out her mother and Zeus have decided that she’ll marry Zeus), readers will lap this up. The steamy sex is absolutely integral to the plot, and is the only reason I had trouble reading this at the branch, since I was crimson.

Additionally, Katee Robert includes nods to the original myth that made me utterly giggle: Persephone’s safe word is Pomegranate. At one point, she and Hades take in three adorable little puppies - named Cerberus, Charybdis, and Scylla.

Demeter is in charge of the food stores for both the Upper and Lower portions of Olympus, and she only threatens to cut off the food supply to the Lower City in order to force Persephone’s return. Additionally, the myth has Persephone spending six months of the year with Hades, six with Demeter. Here, Robert has Hades required to show up to six different events a year at Demeter’s command.

This is the first book in the new series Dark Olympus from Katee Robert, and thank f*ck because I need to know more about this world!

I’m a big fan of books based on mythology and even though I hadn´t read anything by Katee Robert before I knew that she writes STEAMY books, so this just sounded like a match made in heaven. I mean, a retelling of Hades & Persephone in a sort of modern setting? Yes, thank you.

And the world is so interesting. We have 13 “gods” who rule the city of Olympus, these are either chosen or born into their roles. When one dies, another takes over the name. Persephone is the daughter of the current Demeter, making her a part of the court and the drama constantly going on.

When her mother promises her hand in marriage to Zeus however she panics and runs away. Zeus is rumored to have killed his previous wives, and she doesn’t want to become his next victim. She runs to the forbidden undercity, where she makes a deal with a man she thought was a myth, Hades himself.

Like I said, this world is so interesting, and I want to know more. I want to know about how the 13 gets chosen, about how the magic that creates the barrier between the different parts of the city works, about all of the characters that are only mentioned in this book. I loved all of the side characters in this, Hermes was just a joy! And was Dionysus possibly demi- or asexual? So intrigued…

And the two mains, they were just so perfect together. I did think that Hades could have been a bit more… morally grey? Like, he was almost too nice? I mean he's HADES.

When it comes to the steamy bits, I mean they were STEAMY and on the kinky side. I feel like this was Hades “dark side”, and even there he could have been even more “dark”. But I really appreciated the consent and conversations happening around these parts of the book.

I really enjoyed this book overall, even if I wanted a bit more in some aspects. I’m really looking forward to more books in this world though!

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for the e-arc!

"Neon Gods was everything I needed in a Hades and Persephone romance and more. Wicked, original, and downright sexy, I couldn't put the book down. Katee Robert has found her brand: twisted myths and fairy tales that make you blush. She's a new favorite author for sure." ~ NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan

First off I would like to thank @sourcebookscasa and @netgalley for providing me with an eARC of Neon Gods by @katee_robert. I feel like Katee Robert is an author that is always popping up in my recommendations within the romance community, so I was so excited to read this Hades and Persephone reimagining.

Whilst reading this book I discovered something about myself. I just freaking love anything with Hades in it. 🤣 This was one of those romance books I had to only allow myself to read at bedtime or else I knew I would get nothing done during the day. It was twisty, sexy, dark, and addicting as hell. I stayed up way too late a few nights losing track of time in this delicious story. If the erotic romance genre is your thing, or if you love Hades and Persephone retellings than I highly encourage you to pick this one up when it releases in June.

A very fun and sexy Hades and Persephone retelling, reimagined in a contemporary style world.

A fast-paced compelling read, with incredibly loveable characters. The romance was equal measures steamy and heart-warmingly sweet. I really appreciated the focus of the narrative on healthy communication, trust and consent. Only real criticism was that there was a very cliche trope used for 'character development' near the end.

Overall a compelling and steamy read with very sweet characters that I would highly recommend.

**I will wait to post this review publicly to my GoodReads and Instagram until the month leading up to the release**

This was my first Katee Roberts novel so I had no real idea about what I was getting into. I was just excited to read a modern-day Persephone/Hades romance retelling. This book was very fast-paced and lacked some of the overdone tropes that can get thrown into these types of romances which I was thankful for. I enjoyed the relationship and steam that took place between our two main characters. They had a lot of chemistry and a sweet dynamic from the beginning.

All my complaints with this novel, when I think about them more, come down to really the same one thing. I needed MORE from this story. Wanting more let's me know I enjoyed it, but not receiving more was a bit of a let down. The story felt more like a start rather than a completed work. There were a lot of things left very vague: Is this world magical? There seems to be magic based on the bridge not letting people pass easily, but there's no other even minutely magical happenings in the book. Do the Thirteen have different names, why are their titles Greek and that is what they go by? Persephone's mother is called THE Demeter and also Demeter, but since she was elected to the position, we know that can't also be her real name. The same with Hermes. What is Persephone's degree in? What is she planning for her Doctorate? Persephone did not feel like a fully fleshed out character and some of the pieces of her story seemed like they were thrown in to make her SEEM more complex without actually doing the work to make that happen. All of these questions and more added up and plagued me as I continued reading and made me feel like the storyline was more and more vague. This book is almost 400 pages, but not a lot seems to happen except the threat of war which I also didn't really understand,

As this seems like it might be a series, I hope to get more answers in following books and I am excited to continue reading and see new couples!! I also hope the following books explore the kink community aspect more fully. This one seemed to tread lightly in those waters.

All in all, it was a quick, sexy, fun read and I can't wait to continue the series!

Thank you to Source Casablanca and Netgalley for the eArc!

Katee Robert writes absolutely delightful candy. Her books are scorching hot and her sexual politics are good. She respectfully writes messy, complicated characters with scars (emotional and physical), but keeps it light enough not to be retraumatizing. I don’t become immersed in her worlds, but I do go back to them for escape and comfort.

I was introduced to her Wicked Villains stories, which recasts the villains of Disney movies as the actual good guys. They live in a divided city with Hades sex club as their neutral territory. Neon Gods is in the same world, but a different city – Olympus. This is a retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth, but with a lot more sex and and Persephone has agency. You don’t have to know the myth to appreciate the story, but Robert works in a lot of elements that lovers of the mythology will appreciate.

“If Olympus is ruled by the Thirteen, the Thirteen are ruled by Zeus. It’s a legacy role, one passed from parent to child, the bloodline stretching back to the first founding of the city. Our current Zeus has held his position for decades, ever since he took over at thirty. He’s somewhere north of sixty now. I suppose he’s attractive enough if one likes big barrel-chested white men with great boisterous laughs and beards gone winter-gray. He makes my skin crawl.”

Persephone’s mother has arranged her marriage to Zeus, which would make her the next Hera. Zeus has had previous wives and there are whispers that their deaths were intentional. Persephone flees and is rescued by Hades. when she crosses the River Styx. She makes a deal that she hopes will keep her safe from Zeus and allow Hades to get revenge. The deal keeps them in proximity to each other and of course they catch feelings.

Neon Gods would be a great entry point for a new Katee Robert reader. It may share a universe with her Wicked Villains and Sabine Valley (a retelling of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers with a lot less singing and dancing) series, but it is not dependent on them. It might be my favorite of Robert’s books. She balances the world building, relationships, and sexy times really well. Hades and Persephone are a nuanced grumpy/sunshine paring. They each understand the power of image and see the person beneath the mask. The ways they choose to be vulnerable gets pretty swoony.

I suspect this is going to be another addictive series from Robert. I’m already looking forward to how she’s going to retell Orpheus and Eurydice. Neon Gods is available June 1.

I received this as an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

“It’s Olympus. You play power games, you pay the consequences.”

Neon Gods was not at all what I was expecting. I mean it was, but also I wasn’t expecting the romance aspect to be so freaking sweet and for me to fall so easily for Persephone and Hades together. Don’t get me wrong that Katee Roberts heat and passion is there too, but the sweetness. Amazing.

So Neon Gods is essentially a story about Persephone running away from the corrupt politics and intense obligations that are forced upon her in her old life. She runs right out of the glitz of upper Olympus and into the arms of Hades, who she only ever knew as a whisper on the lips of the Olympus elite. Thus ensues a love story and us learning more and more about Olympus and it’s corrupt inner workings. If you’ve read Katee’s Wicked Villains series, then you may know she sort of flips the script on what we think of established characters and makes them very much her own. She nails that here, and will truly make you hate characters who were loved in the mythology you know and characters who were hated you’ll fall for. I honestly can’t wait for more of this series. I think it’s going to be great.

Neon Gods is the perfect mix of heat, sweet, and a dash of darkness.

I went into this beauty pretty much blind. I saw "Katee Robert" and requested it. The blurb was unimportant. I still haven't read it, maybe I will before I post the review hehe

Because of that, I had NO IDEA what Hades was going to be like and I was not expecting him to be the sweet, caring, tormented soul that he was. Everything about him is perfection. As much as I like my bad guys in books I can't say I missed it here. He was a pure and wonderful soul with enough wickedness in the bedroom to make you want him all for yourself.

Persephone was a delight. The perfect girl on the outside with a desire for more behind the curtains. Her mother pretty much sells her to Zeus (the real bad guy in this story) thinking her perfect daughter will just go along with it. She finds Hades instead.

They are perfect for each other and have perfect chemistry. One thing on the outside and another to themselves. They both wear masks and slowly but surely peel those masks of for each other.

Another fabulous read by Katee and I cannot recommend it enough!

I had a few friends tell me I needed to read this one. They know I'm a sucker for smut, add in some Greek Mythology and I just go down a crazy rabbit hole.

This was a fast paced read but it lacked some of the Greek mythology I was hoping for.

It was steamy. It was fast. I enjoyed it. I think my expectations were a tad high.

Overall 3.5 stars.

Thank you sourcebooks Casa and Netgalley for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

Can never get enough hades and Persephone romance books!!!  I'll be honest I kept seeing these two like the cartoons on webtoons Lore olympus lol. 🤣🤣🤣 💙💗

Persephone is counting down the days so she can run away from this place and have what she always wanted freedom, but is shocked when her mother and Zeus inform everyone there engaged. Panicking she takes a walk and runs away and saved by the Myth Hades who saved her from some men sent by Zeus. Hades and Persephone their chemistry is soo good they balance eachother out her sassyness and "pureness" and his broody dominate cinnamon bun self.  He knows Persephone is important and when he finds out he has some thoughts on using her but when his vixen informs him what she thinks he is suprised she wants to go along with the plan. And that's to show the world how wrecked and ruined she is for Hades. Then feelings get in the way their fake relationship turns real now they have to figure out how to bring down Zeus and make sure no one dies.

I was so glad this hades is different from hades in wicked villians. Kinky as fudge but so different I also love that he never wanted to share his queen. 🥰 we love a man who is "MINE"

When I first head the concept of this book I was very excited. I LOVE books that reimage the Greek God the added bonus was that Katee Robert was writing the book. The way she reimaged the Greek Gods to a title you inheritaged not a the person you are was genius, Persephone's has six months till she get her trust and escape Olympus and start a new life. After begin told that she is engaged to Zeus an arrangement made by her mother. Persephone decide that she can not and will not marry Zeus she runs away from Zeus goonies to the river stxys and in Hades arms. The pacing of the action and the sextual chemistry was very well done. I also like that you were able to get into both characters head and see that they were both waiting for each other. Great book I cant wait for the next in series.

Persephone wants nothing more than to leave Olympus. With its toxic environment and people always putting on a show, she's never sure what's real and what's fake. She has a few more months left before she can access her trust fund and then it's see ya later Olympus! Of course nothing is ever that easy and Persephone's plan get a wrench thrown in it when her mother ambushes her with an engagement to Zeus. Zeus is perhaps the worst one of them all. He's only out for power and of course wants beautiful Persephone at his side as his bride.

Without thinking Persephone runs away from the engagement and straight into the arms of Hades. Hades and Zeus have a tumultuous relationship. Zeus doesn't venture to the lower city and Hades doesn't set foot in the upper city. But when Persephone literally falls at his feet, Hades sees so many way to use her to gain an upper hand. What starts off as a mutual agreement to get back at Zeus, slowly turns into something more. Is the charade only that - or is it slowly turning into something more. And when Persephone has access to her funds and leaves Olympus, will Hades be able to let her go?

Neon Gods was my first book by Katee Roberts and I was told her books are steamy. Neon Gods was definitely hot Hot HOT HOTTTT! But underneath the sensuality of Persephone and Hades relationship was always an understanding. They were first allies fighting the same fight, then friends and then of course something more than lovers. Although Neon Gods had an insta-love/lust, the storyline was believable and I enjoyed not only the romantic parts, but also Persephone's relationship with her sisters and Hades relationship with this city. The suspense parts of Neon Gods also had me on my toes and I couldn't stop reading.

Although this was my first book by Katee Roberts, it will defnintely not be my last. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series (I wonder which sister will be next??).

If you love Scarlett St. Clair's A Touch of Darkness, then I 500% recommend this book! It's a Hades & Persephone revenge-plot reimagining set in a modern Olympus. The mythological details are creatively incorporated and the dual points of view serve both MCs well in their arcs. My one criticism is that the Great Couple Conflict is feeble and only becomes more so the longer its dragged out. But...meh.

This is an EROTIC romance. Sex IS the plot, so don't be surprised by the explicit sex scenes. Honestly, the kinks aren't as risque as I was expecting, which isn't a criticism because this is definitely a steamy, WIDE-open-door read. Far more emphasis is placed on the depiction of sex positive practices: sex communication; explicit and mutual consent; respect for boundaries; after-care; and the use of contraceptives and protection (unprotected only after a clear exchange of trust and STI test results).

I can't speak to whether this has become common in erotica and dark romance. But I think that general romance novels are including more of these things, which is FANTASTIC. Healthy sex practices in fiction SHOULD be normalized. Trust, security, and respect in intimacy are sexy and empowering for everyone involved, and if Katee Robert's other books are like this, then I may be sifting through her backlist.

"If their sins happen in the dark, do they even count?"

“Neon Gods” captivated me, from the beautiful cover to the amazing and engaging description. This is hands down of my favorite versions of Persephone. Even though the book itself was a little hard to understand in the beginning due to the fast pace it was written, it was pretty easy to read. The characters are amazing and Persephone's character development was beautiful to read.

The book was tempting, sexy, and addictive. The diversity was really refreshing to read. Hermes was one of my favorite characters and I was left wanting to know more about her character. I think that is one of the reasons the book was not a 5-star review for me. I wanted to see more of the world-building, I wanted to understand more of the characters and the motive driving their actions. I felt lost at times because I could not figure out the reasons behind the action. The writing was great, so the book only lacked background information. When I read a book, I love the feeling of getting to know the characters, and with this book, I felt a little bit disconnected due to the lack of detail in the story.

Overall, the book was an awesome and easy read. Hades stole my heart. I will never get tired of Hades and Persephone's retellings, they are just THAT good and this book isn't an exception.

I picked this up because I’m obsessed with Greek mythology at the moment and I especially love a Hades & Persephone reimagining! I was not disappointed!

What stands out about this retelling is that her sisters are included in the book. I loved the added element of sisterhood!
What also stands out are the roles the ‘Gods’ play. I thought it was genius that the gods roles are positions to be passed over (Through either election or legacy). Greek Mythology would have been very, very different were it not for the immortality aspect. We got an insight into that with this book!

My only criticism would be that the ‘sex dungeon,’ felt like it was trying too hard. It felt like an unneeded addition, trying to echo Fifty Shades of Grey.

I read this book in a single day (yes, it’s THAT readable) and look forward to searching out more of the author’s work.

This is a hard book for me to review. It is well written and a compelling story, but it definitely didn't feel like a book for me.
Allow me to explain.
I am a grown-up Greek mythology kid. You knew one or were one. So when I think of Hades and Persephone, I don't think star-crossed lovers, I think uncle kidnapped his niece and raped her. But, I've heard so many great things about Katee Robert that I decided to give it a whirl.
Below are spoilers.
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This is a good book but I few things irked me to the point of taking me out of the story. The first is that Hades refers to Persephone as a "brat" often. I hate the word brat so much. I also hate when men infantilize women, and whenever he referred to her as "a little brat," it squeed me out. I think the origin story this is based on made "brat" worse because Hades is an older family member in the myths.
My next major issue is that I was really hoping in this dom/sub relationship, Persephone was going to be the dom. She wasn't, which is fine, but that is what I went into it hoping for.
All that aside, the plot is engaging and it is well-written. Tons of readers will enjoy it.
Giving four stars because I think the potential is there for tons of readers, but personally it's a solid three for me.

Here is aa new taken Hades and Persephone. This is a fantastic read. The perfect all girl and the big bad guy meet and there is instant attraction. These two have quite the roller coaster relationship. Persephone's mom basically sold her to Zeus. Persephone runs away and two men begin chasing her. They succeed in chasing her right into the arms of Hades. But can the two get past all the drama around them to come together...

Neon Gods is the fast paced, steamy adventure that I wanted it to be. The Hades and Persephone story is already a good love story, but Katee's take on it added heat and tension that was just fun. Personally, I had been a little slumpy this week and needed exactly this to get me out of my own head and into a completely different world that didn't require a ton of set up and back story to get the pace of the book moving.