Katee Roberts takes well-established classic characters and makes them her own with fantastical twists and what ifs in Wicked Beauty, book three in her Dark Olympus series!

This story was full of suspense, intrigue and a whole lot of steam! Demolishing the status quo Ms. Roberts took the license that dealing with mythical characters affords and gave her audience a story that commanded her reader’s attention with her out of the box interpretations and modernization. The action scenes were off the rails and will keep readers on the edge of their seats! With well thought out character development every interaction was as interesting as it was spicy. From the start Wicked Beauty was impossible to put down.

At no point in this work was there a question of what there was to love about Achilles, Patroclus and Helen. Each character brought something to the table that amplified as a group. Achilles and Patroclus were friends and lovers that walked a fine line that both were careful to keep in place even though they both felt something was missing. Helen proved to be the perfect catalyst for change and when the three succumbed to their instinctive connection there was no doubt that they had reached the place they were meant to be.

Threesomes are not easy relationships to write without losing sight of someone along the way but Ms. Roberts managed to give all the characters involved equal status. This relationship's evolution was spectacular to watch and felt genuine even in its most emotionally confused stages. Compromises were in fact wins and the complicated dynamics of Achilles, Patroclus and Helen was done well as they went through the process of figuring out their roles to move forward as an intimate committed trio. While each person in the trio grappled with whether they could work as a relationship there was never any ambiguity as to the attraction they felt for each other in any capacity keeping a nice tension throughout this work. This writer was able to adeptly make smart alignments of her characters based on their strengths and weaknesses for a perfect trifecta.

Katee Roberts always explores interesting aspects of her characters taking them from their own comfort zones and testing their boundaries. With lively dialog and some heart racing physical encounters this book did not let up. Seeing strengths in all their forms is a great ability to have and Ms. Roberts makes all her portrayals formidable in their own way. Wicked Beauty is a book not to be missed!

I have been a major fan of the first two Dark Olympus books and was super excited to receive this copy. I didn’t dislike this book but didn't love it as much as I wanted to.

I did love Helen and her story. I of course thought the spice was well done and accomplished a good amount of intimacy between the three. I thought the balance of personalities in the relationship and the overall dynamic was interesting.

I didn't love the emphasis on the trials and the combat. Like the last books, I was expecting the romance to be the main focus and I didn't find that here. Achilles also sometimes got on my nerves. I wish we had more development in Achilles’ and Patroclus' back stories and on the other end, I wish there was more to the epilogue, I always want to spend more time in the HEA.

I’ll be continuing this series for sure to see how the characters continue to evolve, hopefully we get some cameos of these three in the future books!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Katee Robert does it again!

This book is epic, I love the concept of Gods existing in modern times and watching the development/interaction of all of these bigger than life characters.

Not only do we get the romance angle in this one with Helen/Achilles/Petroclus but we also get Helen seeking to prove she is more than just a pretty face as she battles to become the next Aries!

I read this one late into the night and what I love so much about Katee’s books is they entertain so well with all of the elements of story that leave you guessing and on the edge of your seat.

This one has more action than previous books, but I definitely didn’t mind!

Highly recommend for those who love spice, retelling, and action packed female badass stories.

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

This might be my favorite in the dark Olympus series! I love a Heroine that takes her fate into her own hands instead of sitting on the side lines letting others decide her future. This is a poly relationship with a MM adding in a F.

Katee Robert has done it again. Wicked Beauty was an epic journey of love, trials, and partnerships in unexpected places.

I adored every second I spent reading this book, truly. I was so caught up with it from the very beginning; Katee just knows how to grab my attention instantly. The writing is superb and the pace is wonderful. I wanted to keep reading until I reached the final page. Every chapter was so interesting and easy to follow as well. The story follows Helen, Patroclus, and Achille, three people who have given their names as champions in order to get the coveted position of Ares in Olympus. You see, Katee has created a Greek mythology-inspired world that kinda resembles the mafia. Whenever one big figure, in this case one of the Thirteen, passes away or decides to step down from that position, one has to fill it again. In Wicked Beauty, Ares is dead after so many years and the position is now open to anyone who wants to compete for it.

This book kinda reminded me a bit of The Hunger Games in the way that the trials were put in the plot. The stakes are high! Danger is everywhere! Anything can happen. Helen has decided to put her name as a champion to win Ares; she's tired of always being sort-of part of the Thirteen, but not really. She doesn't have any say in choices, especially now that her brother is Zeus. She wants to be part of this special group and this is the only way how. But the trials to become Ares are filled with people who are stronger than her, bigger than her, so it's definitely not going to be easy for Helen to come out as the winner.

But when she meets Achilles and Patroclus, things quickly change. There is an instant attraction between all three of them. I love that each of the three is jealous of the other omg. They cannot communicate, because obviously, they're trying to protect themselves from hurt and pain. This is why they start to overthink about certain things like their relationship. Scared to be left behind, Achilles and Patroclus are going through a bump in their relationship, but it quickly complicates more when Helen appears on scene. They want her so badly!

The scenes between all three are the very best. I love seeing Helen finally being taken care of and loved. She has been the lonely golden princess imprisoned in the tower for so long and finally she's able to step free of that. Achilles uses "princess" as a term of endearment for Helen, but at first, he uses it in a condescending way, you know? He wants her to know that she has power and money and she is different from him, or really, them. But then it soon turns into a real term of endearment, because it is said with love and care. It's so good to see the switch and I loved this little detail in the book.

I maybe would have loved to have one more chapter at the end of the book with a domestic scene? Would have been nice! But overall, this book was so good and I had the time of my life. It's steamy, fun, swoony, and intense at the same time. Katee Robert knows what she's doing and I'm so very happy she has decided to bless our lives with the stories she creates.

So good! I had to take my time reading this one so I could absorb and savor it all Not only do we get a romance between Helen, Achilles, and Patroclus but we also get plenty of action with the competition to become the next Ares.

Following the death of Ares, Zeus is holding a competition to fill this position and Helen is on a mission to become the next Ares. This will set her free from being under the rule of her brother. But what she doesn't expect is that he'd offer her hand in marriage as part of the prize. But Helen is not going down without a fight.

Achilles and his partner Patroclus also have plans to join the competition. Patroclus was betting on this, Achilles not so much. This complicates their plans but they must move forward.

What no one expects is the attraction they begin to feel even as they prepare for each of the trials of the competition. When Helen is attacked within their guarded quarters. Achilles and Patroclus take it upon themselves to guard Helen throughout the rest of the competition. Being confined with each other leads to them finally exploring their attraction.

Thank you so much to the author, Sourcebooks and NetGalley for this ARC to review.

Helen, Achilles, and Patroclus story is incredibly steamy! I don’t normally read MFM, but this book was so well written. All three characters brought their own unique characteristics to the table. I loved this retelling, one of my all time favorites for sure.

I've always loved Helen of Troy, or rather the idea that someone could be so beautiful that just their face could spark a war, so of course I had to read this.

I previously read Neon Gods and skipped (albeit not on purpose) Electric Idol, and I think that helped me understand the world building much better. I'll go back and read book two though, since Helen appears there too.

So back in Neon Gods the titles gave me a lot of confusion, and I FINALLY understand what's going on with them. They can either be inherited or anyone can apply to get it, but they'd have to pass a series of trials (likely depending on the title) as demonstrated in this book.

Those trials were so fun, they reminded me of The Hunger Games and they made the book for me. I loved the plot in that regard, and wish even more time was devoted to it.

As for the romance, well...honestly there was none. The three of them saw each other, found each other hot and jumped into the steamy parts without much thought. There was some weak protest how they shouldn't do it because Achilles and Patroclus were already together and adding Helen to the mix wouldn't be smart - but that was quickly thrown to the wind.

And then eventually they start falling for each other which I didn't really buy. They were attracted to each other for sure, but in love? Nah.

I think this book delivers more of the retelling aspect than Neon Gods, and the characters felt like their mythological counterparts at least a little bit. And I loved seeing Atalanta and Hector appear, they deserved to have an even bigger part.

To be honest, I shipped Helen with Atalanta a lot more than I did with Achilles and Patroclus. Missed opportunity there, WE COULD'VE HAD BOTH!!! But it is what it is.

I hope book four has even more plot than this one.

*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Myth: 5/5

I am beyond hooked on this series, and then what does Katee Robert do? Give some of the most tragic stories from the Iliad a chance at happiness. I’ve never been so happy for a specific storyline. By that introduction alone, you will note that this is going from ‘loose retellings’ to reimaginings, but I just adore how she works specific character traits or story points into her world.

Helen, Achilles and Patroclus, in a competition to become one of the 13. Patroclus, there to support his man, and Helen and Achilles each trying to step over each other to get to their dreams. Sparks fly, feelings are felt and the Dark Olympus backdrop of the story is escalated dramatically.

Magic: 4/5

While the story and world have no overt magic, something that is just taken as given for the characters is that there is some kind of barrier around Olympus. It’s hard or near impossible for people to come and go without the help of Poseidon. As the story of Dark Olympus escalates I think we’ll see more of this type of thing.

Overall: 5/5

If you have ever thought that Helen, Achilles and Patroclus’ stories were super tragic, and you just wished they could have a happy ending, this story is for you.

Here’s a peak of the Helen we really deserved:

“I have not come this far to fail now. I have too many motherf***ers to prove wrong. My siblings. Paris. Achilles. Ever single person in Olympus who thinks my value begins and ends with the family and face I was born with.”

This is the third installment of the Dark Olympus series by @katee_robert and I am happy to announce that this has just become my new favourite Robert's title!

Not only was this scorching hot with MMF action, the plot was the fast paced central focus and the mental health rep took everything to the next level!

The story follows Helen of Troy, sister to the newly appointed Zeus, vying for the title of Ares, a seat in the 13 and essentially her own hand in marriage. Through the course of the book we follow the 3 trials to win the seat- true tests of strength, logic, scheming and building alliances. Ruffling more than a few feathers, Helen intends to kick a*s and take names as she competes against renowned warriors including Achilles and his partner, Patroclus.

The beginning of the story was so captivating and it set the tone of Helens character so well. I felt an instant connection with her, I could see her desires in life and adored her attitude towards paving her own path. The events that lead to her coming face to face with both Patroclus and Achilles, as well as her own fate, were addictive, I couldn't put the book down!

There were quite a few memorable quotes, the inner monolouge and main character arcs were flawless... the interactions between characters, the evolving power and family dynamics of Olympus and the gentle weave of future storylines was done very cleverly.

The book was sublime! 5🌟 for me. It has a little bit of everything that makes my heart happy! I would highly reccomend!

"My desire for them might be real— and inconvenient— but it’s just my recklessness talking. I spend so much of my life carving out the sensitive parts of myself so no one else can see them, touch them, hurt them."

This completely blew me away. The plot is a little wild to explain to someone who has never read a KR book before, but it certainly sucked me in and fast. My heart broke and often for Helen because honestly, in the first part of this, she wasn't treated well by anyone. But the way the relationship weaved through the story was magical. I have grown to love this series after a little bit of a bumpy start, but I cannot wait for more. I volunteered to read and review an early copy of this. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book so much it was great! I'm a huge fan of Katee Robert and always end up loving their books, but this one just blew my mind. I truly can't think of one flaw in this book it was genuinely perfect to me. The smut was hot and extremely well-written, I loved the characters, and the romance was so good. This book has the perfect amount of smut and plot and I genuinely just loved it so much. If you've been on the fence about reading this series then I would highly advise you to give it a chance it was truly amazing and I loved the whole series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.

You don't need me to summarize this book - just take a peek at the description and come back. I absolutely loved this book, and it's definitely my favorite of the Dark Olympus series. You don't have to have read the previous books to follow along with this one, necessarily.

Helen is an underdog that you root for, Achilles is a lovable asshole, and Patroclus is a sweet, hot nerd. VERY spicy but it still has a great plot that keeps you enthralled.

An exciting new installment to this series. This book can be read as a standalone without feeling lost or feeling like you are missing something. I don't often read menage but these three make a wildly sexy throuple. I liked the premise of this storyline with Helen, Patroclus and Achilles vying for the spot of the next Ares. There was a good build on the story and their relationship development. And of course it can't be a menage without some steam and there was a nice amount of it.

I hope we will catch glimpses of them again in future books. The only thing is I did feel it ended or resolved very abruptly, but overall an entertaining read!

I received an ARC from Netgalley and I am leaving a review voluntarily. Opinions are my own.

Holy HOT Trinity! Wicked Beauty is set in a modern-day Olympus complete with all the sexy Greek gods of mythology hanging out with each other. We also get all the wicked gossip, drama and espionage that goes with the politics of competing factions between the gods.

Helen (of Troy mythology) is the little sis of the newly crowned Zeus. Ares has just passed on, so his seat needs to be filled. His is one of 13 “parties” in the government that sets policy and protects the people of Olympus. A Hunger Games sort of competition is set to fill Ares seat and Zeus decides that Helen will be passed off as an additional incentive award to the winner of the games as their new wife. Obviously for political reasons, Zeus can pawn her off for an alliance that will benefit the family. Helen has another idea – she sneakily enters the race!

Achilles and Patroclus are besties and have been attached at the hip for years – both in battle and in bed. Some forced proximity has these three HOT gorgeous competitors all falling for each other while they must contend for the prize. Of course, Achilles directs their fun and games – and he is also assuming he will be the winner – getting the seat and Helen as the prize.

Wicked Beauty wraps up with the perfect solution to the contest’s winner and a spicy HEA. I actually peeked back to some of my old mythology books to reacquaint myself with the crazy times around the Troy battles. Roberts has some fun with the interactions of all the main Greek characters and the drama and coupling is delicious! While Wicked Beauty is a part of Robert’s Dark Olympus series – you can absolutely enjoy all this sexiness as a standalone.

I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.

No surprise here, Wicked Beauty is a wickedly delightful story. The first chapter hits fast and hard with a twist surprise and pulls you in hard.

I have always found Greek/Roman mythology to be interesting, I absolutely love the way that Katee Robert puts her own twist and feel to the stories and legends. Every book I read of hers has caused me to fall in love with the characters and crave more.

I will recommend this series to anyone that loves mythology and retellings.

Wicked Beauty is the third book in Robert’s Dark Olympus series and keeps pace with the previous two books. While its the first Throuple of the series and it does have the spicyness that one would expect comes with being in a throuple, the spicyness takes a back seat to the overall character journey. I loved to get to know even more characters even while we revisit some old characters. Each one of our Throuple are in a competition to get the title of Ares and each have their own valid reasons for wanting to get the title. While the book has a HEA like all of Robert’s romances, this book also set’s the overall story arc for the next book if not the next few books in the series. Robert’s balanced the perfect amount of spice, romance and overall plot to make this one of her best books yet.

It was a lot of fun and entertaining. I appreciated the world building and liked how the characters were developed.
That said I think it could have been a novella and not a novel as there's not a lot going on.
I want to read the other book in this series because I found the concept intriguing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

“Some things are worth even the risk of death”

Helen is livid when she discovers the truth about her siblings choices for who wins the next Ares. So she throws her own wrench in their plans and competes to win Ares for herself.

The drama between Helen, Achilles, and Patroclus is so intense and realistic. (Even if this is about Greek gods)

Very enjoyable for the third installment in her Greek gods series! Cannot wait to see more.

What I Liked: Robert has created very likeable characters with alluring personalities in this third book in her Dark Olympus series. She could drop her versions of Helen, Achilles, and Patroclus into any other book or story, and I would want to read about them. There has been a trend (or at least something I’ve noticed recently) of writers creating badass female characters who don’t feel the need to apologize for their behavior or their actions and this version of Helen is a woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to fight for it. Even though she has moments of self-doubt, she leans on Achilles and Patroclus when she knows she needs help. If you know anything about Katee Roberts books, you know that even if you don’t like the plot or the characters, you will at least like the sex. And this book is no exception. She writes scenes between 2 or 3 characters, that are hot, fun, and detailed. So, if you’re looking for some good erotica, this book will fit the bill.

What I Didn’t Like: Listen….this plot is…..bonkers. We find out that there is a competition for who will be the next Ares because the old Ares has died and by law this is one of the positions in the Thirteen (the group who rules over everyone in this world) that can be won by anyone who enters this fight to the (possible) death. But there is no explanation as to why this is a rule or why the tasks they have to partake in are the ones chosen or really why the Thirteen even rule at all. Additionally, if you’re looking for a mythological retelling, look elsewhere. Other than using the names of the people involved, there is very little here that resembles the story of Helen of Troy and Achilles and Patroclus. Continuing to call this series a retelling is a stretch; reimagining might be a better term.

Who Should Read It: If you’ve read the previous 2 books in this series, you'll like this one because it's very much a Katee Robert book with a lot of sex. Those looking for a fun ménage book will also like this one as long as you don’t expect too much plot.

Review Wrap Up: I don’t read Katee Robert books for the plot so in that regard, this book is a winner. The fact that a ménage book is getting a wide, trade paperback release is something to cheer for so for that fact alone, I applaud this book and the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, for making more taboo romances available to the mainstream romance reader. As long as you don’t expect a faithful retelling and pick up this book for some hot fun, I think you’ll like this one.

Favorite Quote: "It could be like this. You don't have to pretend with me - with us. We don't expect perfection. We just want you."