Mythology in any genre isn't usually my thing but I've read a few different Katee Robert books now in a variety of genres and enjoyed them all. Reading this was the true test and I'm surprised to say the characters and story immediately gripped me. I absolutely have to go back and read the other two books in the series now. Bravo.

Nobody is surprised, I LOVED every minute of this book.
Helen, Achilles, and Patroclus are an absolute dream and I could've listened to them banter forever. Even when they were on my nerves by having the same argument 100 times, I wasn't even THAT mad about it. The way they balanced each other out was so beautiful and I loved watching them mesh into a beautiful throuple. The challenges were entertaining, the politics were intriguing and the sex was BOMB.
Kattee Robert just knows how to capture my heart. I am going to be thinking about these three beautiful souls for a while and am already counting down to the next book in the series!

Thank you @sourcebookscasablanca and @netgalley for the #gifted eARC of WICKED BEAUTY!

Why are these books so good???

Why do I keep binge reading them???

Why am I obsessively checking Goodreads and Katee Robert’s IG page to see if there will be a release date and synopsis for the next book in the DARK OLYMPUS series???

I think Helen might be my favorite female MC in this series so far. She’s such a badass and everyone is constantly underestimating her. You can’t help but root for her to prove everyone wrong and for her to gain the respect and power she clearly deserves.
All the fire emojis for this one.

WICKED BEAUTY is out June 7!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4609168340?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd8gZGXrdAt/

This story follows Achilles, Patroclus, and Helen as the compete to be the next Ares. In line with the previous two books, chaos ensues in the fight for power. Helen is to marry the person who becomes the next Ares, but she submits her own name in the contest. A MMF relationship is the center of the story and the dynamics surrounding their relationship to one another while all competing fills the story with plenty of tension. If you enjoyed the other two books in this series, this book will not disappoint. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy.

Story - 4.5 stars, 4 chili peppers (3 if you've read way too many romance novels and are desensitized to threesome activities)

Wicked Beauty is the story of Helen, Achilles, and Patroclus. In Olympus, the current Ares has died, leaving his position open within The Thirteen. The new Ares is to be determined via a competition of three trials open to all. Sick of being seen as just a pretty face and a pawn amid her family and the other Olympians' schemes, Helen enters the competition, wherein she encounters Achilles and Patroclus as competitors. Drama, angst, and heaps of sexual tension ensue.

Tropes - Dual POV, MMF, enemies-to-lovers and childhood friends-to-strangers-to-lovers, forced proximity, one bed, bratty sub undertones

Pros - All of the characters are amazing: Helen is a total badass, Patroclus is a complete cinnamon roll, and Achilles comes off as an Alphahole but is a total softy and protector for his people. The plot encompasses important topics like racial and gender diversity in character casting, the struggles survivors of abuse face, enthusiastic consent & safety, and birth control & STI check in pre-spicy time. The writing is phenomenal. The plot is dramatic, messy, and emotionally driven, but doesn't rely on tired writing mechanics like lying or miscommunication. Roberts gives great insight into the complexities of each of the characters' s minds and their various points of view.


Cons - The story is heavier and more dramatic than I usually read, with lots of drama and politics. At times the characters' angst and personality flaws (ie self-destructive behavior, fear of abandonment, or generally ignoring all rational thought) can get a bit frustrating. I wouldn't call it dark by any means, but it definitely isn't a light and fluffy rom-com either.

Conclusion - This was my first Katee Roberts novel and will not likely be my last. Would definitely recommend.


*I received Wicked Beauty as an ARC for review

KATEE HAS DONE IT AGAIN!! 🔥 5⭐️

I ate this up I really did. In Katee’s third installment of her Dark Olympus series that I’m obsessed with we get the story of Helen, Achilles and Patroclus. This epic story has these three competing to be the next Ares and it’s filled with drama, action and STEAM. Some of my favorite spicy scenes Katee has ever written are in here, it was just so HOT! 🥵

Katee writes some of my favorite characters and I love all her MMF books, this one has a different set up and some more drama compared to her other poly relationship books and I loved that! Overall this book was well paced, beyond entertaining and I was really invested in the relationship. Can’t wait for book 4!



**Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca & Netgalley for proving me with an ARC

Robert knocks it out of the park yet again! If 'Electric Idol' hadn't already turned me into a Katee Robert stan, 'Wicked Beauty' certainly would have.

Easily the fastest paced of the 'Dark Olympus' series thus far, this Helen of Troy retelling takes more liberties with the inspiring myth than any entry in the series to date and comes out all the better for it. 'Wicked Beauty' is packed with nail-biting action, decadent erotica, and a heap of tender moments to tug the heartstrings. Rarely is a triad relationship represented in a positive light in fiction, and even more rarely is it executed so well. Helen, Patroclus, and Achilles are all equally loveable POV characters, and each has a unique narrative voice that provides delightful variety and thoroughness without sacrificing pacing.

A special thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of 'Wicked Beauty' in exchange for an honest review!

I completely loved this book! Can I just leave my review at that, rather than try and form cohesive thoughts? 😂

Ok, so first off, I love this just as much, but in a different way, compared to Neon Gods. I will always have an emotional connection to Neon Gods, and my actual feelings from that book will always surpass the plot. However with Wicked Beauty I absolutely loved the plot and the characters romance. I know I've said before that I do not understand the actual world of Olympus or the politics involved in this series. Just ask Rachel, my questions are literally never ending! But this book finally expands the world of Olympus and while it's a whole bushel of bananas, I feel like Katee Robert really stretched beyond what we saw in the first two books.

I loved that each character was flawed in their own way, more than what we've seen in other books, and there was so much angst. There are many layers to this story, from the competition, Helen's own issues and goals (love to see therapy in Olympus!), the relationship strain between Achilles and Patroclus, the forced proximity, and the developing relationship between the three of them. Add in a very fast-paced plot, expanding what we know about Olympus, and now the outside threat? So good! Also, even though I should have seen that part of the ending coming because of the original mythology, I absolutely screamed. Katee Robert is so smart in how she incorporates the original mythology into these books, but I was absolutely floored in this one by her skill! It's also incredibly well written. It's not easy to write unique voices in first person present when you have two POVs, and she managed to do it with three! There was such purpose behind who's perspective you were in and when, and it helped with forming the emotional connections to each character and drive the plot forward without getting repetitive!

Random selection of thoughts: This felt so Hunger Games to me, and that's the undercurrent comparison that I've had the whole series, and I mean that in the best way! Imagine if THG ended in a throuple, that's this book! Also, the people comparing it to The Song of Achilles and using that as a negative, I have some choice words for you but I'll leave it at if you want to read TSOA, go and read that. Wicked Beauty is its own story and can exist in its own right without the comparison to a completely different book! They are both wonderful books that people should be able to enjoy without pitting them against one another. Finally, if you don't like throuples (or people saying there's too much sex 👀) just go ahead and say you're boring, it's fine. Ok, ok, that was mean of me 🤣 I won't yuck other people's yum, but leave those of us alone who do love to see this kind of relationship represented! Also, I'm still confused where the apple on the cover comes from? I've understood the other covers and their connections to each story, but the apple just left me confused. These turned into hot takes rather than just random thoughts, but I just had to share them!

I really did love this book so much and I can't wait to see where this series goes next! It also makes me so happy to see books like this be traditionally published. The fact that these stories hold so much representation and are in the mainstream market makes me so happy and hopeful for books to come!

I was asked why I wanted to read Katee Robert’s Wicked Beauty and I said it was because I wanted to see a Helen who wasn’t a pawn, and definitely a Helen who got better partners than Paris and Menelaus. Wicked Beauty delivers that with a Helen who is determined to dictate her own future, and finds herself in a competitors to lovers relationship with Achilles and Patroclus.

Katee Robert’s Dark Olympus series is less a retelling of Greek mythology and more in the style of a fanfic alternate universe. Helen has a past unhappy relationship with Paris and Achilles and Patroclus are in a relationship, but there is no Briseis, there is no Trojan War. Olympus is a city and the pantheon are titles taken on by people and passed on either through heredity or competition. Helen is the daughter of the past Zeus and sister of the current Zeus. The city of Olympus thinks she is a vapid party girl, but now that the office of Ares is open, she plans to win the title. Before she can reveal her intention to compete, Zeus announces that the person who wins the role of Ares will also win Helen’s hand in marriage. Helen is incensed and more determined to compete and win.

I’ve read a lot of Katee Robert’s books now, and I’ve got a good idea what to expect. The heat will be high and the se will be plentiful. There will be no bi-erasure. In addition to consent, there will be agency. I am enjoying reading these characters I know from mythology take charge of their lives without the gods or fate intervening.

Robert tends to emphasize vibe over plot in her books, but Wicked Beauty is more plot-centric. More focus on plot means it took a little longer to set up the competing goals and motivations for Helen, Achilles, and Patroclus. And while there was plenty of sex as plot development, the driving force of the book was Helen’s desire to win the title of Ares and claim her right to self determination, versus Achilles’ desire to win the only kind of real power in Olympus, and what will happen when one or both of them have their desire thwarted. The vibes are also strong. Achilles and Patroclus have been in a committed, but open relationship for 10 years, and Helen threatens to change that, either by splitting them up, or by solidifying the open pair into a close thruple. Messy feelings and attraction derail all of their plans. There’s also a poisonous ex boyfriend, the threat of malicious outsiders, and family turmoil.

There’s a discussion going around about the necessity of sex scenes in romances. I think it depends on the writer and the story. I’ve enjoyed plenty of fade to black romances and plenty of high heat explicit romances. I have a hard time imagining Wicked Beauty without the sex. Robert uses the sex scenes to move the relationships forward. Helen’s ex used the vulnerability of sex to shame and manipulate her. The way Achilles and Patroclus treat her during and after sex does more to build trust than the conversations they have around the table. Katee Robert’s merch store offers a t-shirt that says “Banging is the Plot.” Robert is one of the authors who excels at writing sex and I celebrate her for it. If necessary I can talk for 20 minutes about how she uses sex to reveal character and tell story in some of her more vibe centric books like that feral banger, Your Dad Will Do.

I really enjoyed Wicked Beauty. Katee Robert reliably puts out an entertaining book, and I would put this in her top 5 best books.

CWs: violence, injury, assault, blood, attempted murder, slut shaming, emotional abuse, discussion of past murder of parent, domestic violence, and miscarriage.

I received this as an advance reader copy from the NetGalley. My opinions are freely and honestly given.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! Katee Robert continues her steamy and fun Dark Olympus series with the latest installment of Wicked Beauty, portraying the stories of Achilles, Helen, and Patroclus. Helen is always underestimated since her brother is Zeus, the head of the political power house of the Olympus Thirteen. When the power position of Ares opens up, Helen enters into a political and literal battle against many opponents, including the couple Achilles and Patroclus. But though they’re supposed to be competing, Helen, Achilles, and Patroclus feel an attraction they cannot deny. I thought this book was really fun, but ultimately a little long. Robert sure can write steam well, and I enjoyed the throuple portrayal: it was consensual, hot, and fun, which is definitely what I want in a contemporary romance. I feel like this series is moving further and further away from being a Greek God retelling, but personally, I am totally okay with that. Though the book was a little slow paced, I did enjoy the competition element. Robert made this part of the story exciting and I definitely was invested in the ending, which I think worked out well, though a little rushed. Overall definitely recommend for fans of Katee Robert’s, throuples, high steam, contemporary romances.

Katie Robert is BACK AT IT—oooooh boy, was Wicked Beauty spicy and addictive!

We return to the mischief and power plays of this modern, dark urban rendition of Olympus, where the coveted role of Ares has opened up, and the public can compete in a series of contests to fill the role. The new Zeus, Helen’s brother, plans to give her away as a bride to the new Ares—but Helen has other plans, and enters the competition herself.

I’m a sucker for two things in any book: (1) a dangerous competition of stamina and wits, and (2) a badass (and often underestimated) female main character who enters it. And this feminist take on Helen DELIVERS! She’s a fantastic, messy, sexy, compelling MC, and found myself quickly and easily rooting for her. While this wasn’t quite the intense love affair of Hades and Persephone in Neon Gods (one of my personal favorites), I enjoyed this book more than Electric Idol and appreciate a unique romance. I think this was my first book with polyamory playing a central role in the story (and not just a device used to get two characters together), and I loved the different relationships, tension, and development among the three characters. Three characters in a romance means even more great tropes: enemies to lovers, childhood friends to lovers, found family, forced proximity. And, I love a HEA; I only wish there had been an epilogue!

The idea of these stories being ‘retellings’ is getting a bit vague at this point. The mythological references are kind of all over the place and feel mostly disconnected from their origin stories—Theseus and the Minotaur and Minos, Patroclus and Achilles AND Helen, etc. I still thoroughly enjoy them, but Greek myth purists might not.

My only true complaint about this book is that I’m leaving it SO much more confused about this world-building. I still love the dynamics and inner workings of Olympus politics, but anything outside that is super unclear. We begin to see and hear about outside threats to Olympus for the first time, which I didn’t even understand to be physically possible. I’m hoping future books in the series (which I eagerly await) will give us a little more clarity here!

I absolutely loved this book. This was my favorite book in this series by far. The first two books felt very heavy on spice rather than plot, and although this book contained plenty of spice, the plot had me captivated from the beginning. Helen was a stunning female main character and her growth throughout the novel was beautiful. Achilles and Patroclus were beautiful and complementary, and each went through great character development as well. Going into this book, I was hesitant on how I would feel regarding the throuple situation and I ended up loving it. The three of them had a great dynamic and their relationship flowed so easily. The trial scenes were written very well and I felt like the pacing kept me captivated throughout the different trials. My only complaint is that the ARC doesn't have an epilogue and I hope there is one in the published book because I definitely want more of Helen, Achilles, and Patroclus! Great job, Katee Robert. I will definitely be recommending this book.

At this point, I will read literally anything that Katee Robert writes. I was interested in seeing how Katee would take this retelling since we already have a Patroclus and Achilles tale that is well beloved in the book world (Cough The Song of Achilles cough). She brought such a fresh, fun, and sexy take on the story. Once I got into the story I could not stop reading this book!
Having the plot be a mix of Hunger games /gladiator/American ninja warrior as a way to compete for the title of Aries was a great way to bring a newish plot to this Dark Olympus World. The way Katee is able to weave all of these references to the original myth while creating a completely new world is masterful! All the trial scenes were absolutely riveting!
The relationship was also great! I love the way in which she was able to toe the line between hate and desire between Achilles and Helen. I like that Helen falling into this relationship with Patroclus and Achilles is messy. I like that Achilles and Patroclus have to talk and work with each other to understand this change. Helen's dealing with her role in Olympus politics and her family was really well done and I adore the chapters from her perspective.
I would have liked to see a bit more resolution at the end. It felt like a really sudden ending. A flash forward epilogue would have been a great addition. I also at times felt like the arguments and discussions between the three became a bit repetitive or they would get close to talking about feeling and it would devolve into sex.
Overall, If you liked the other Dark Olympus books you will love this book! This was fresh and riveting take on Achilles, Helen, and Patroclus and the trojan war. I also will say this reveals some stuff that I think will be exciting for future books. I cannot recommend this book enough if you like spicy romance, greek retellings, and mafia romance!

This book is a light, modern retelling of Helen of Troy, with some extra focus on Achilles and Patroclus' relationship. I was drawn to it initially because of the mythology inspiration, and the promise of a happily ever after that would be refreshing to see the characters receive. I studied Classics in university and I can be a bit picky about myth retellings, but I think Wicked Beauty hit the mark in regards to taking slight inspiration from several myths, and adding in an original plot and ideas. I do think I found the characters a bit lacking however. Patroclus was the most interesting and likable in my opinion, but the least focused on out of the three main characters. I found Achilles unlikable even though I hoped he would grow on me, and I sympathized with Helen, but that was really her most interesting aspect. It was a worthwhile read and a lot of fun, but I found myself wishing it was a little more brief.

This was such a fun, sexy read and I loved it as much as I loved the rest of the series. It works well on its own (though reading the rest of the series is useful) and I absolutely love the world-building, the tension, and the characters.

I'm going to be honest: this was my first Katee Robert book, and I wanted to read it because I know it featured a throuple between Achilles, Patroclus, and... Helen? At first the choice to pair <i>her</i> with <i>them</i> didn't make sense, but between Achilles and Patroclus' relationship and Helen's need for agency over her own life, I can concede. I get it.

However, I didn't really like how it played out. I get that people don't read Katee Robert books for the plot, but I didn't like the spicy scenes that much either? They completely lacked emotional depth and almost cheapened the relationships Robert was trying her best to establish. I'm no authority on polyamorous relationships, but the jealousy and eventual way they came together didn't seem all that healthy, and at times it felt like the characters were on the edge of some emotional breakthrough... only for the sex scene to start. I don't think some of the emotional problems between the characters were really ever resolved, and it left me feeling like there should have been another chapter at the end.

If you like Katee Robert's stories, you'll probably like this one. For a book that's Greek mythology erotica, the plot was surprisingly consistent and I actually wish we'd gotten a bit more of it, and I did think each character had their own consistent voice and motivation. It was also surprisingly bingeable—I finished it after a mere three hours of read time.

But in the end, it just wasn't the kind of story I like, and that's okay. I do give it 2.5⭐ because I actually finished it and didn't regret reading it for all my complaints.

Oh my god a masterpiece! Katee Roberts did it again yall! I was gasping I was hyperventilating I was ALIVEEE. It had the perfect mixture of action and romance and I'm saying that after reading the other two. I listened to it on audiobook too and when I say driving while listening to this was a dangerous endeavor. SO GOOD YALL! Does not fail to disappoint for the Achilles and Patroclus fans.

5/5 - Book #3 of Dark Olympus Series.

This is my favorite book of the series! I loved the adaptation of Helen of Troy, combined with Achilles/Patroclus! Helen is an incredibly strong female character, and the spice that comes with the thruple was QUALITY (3/5🌶)!

Brief Plot In Olympus, to join the ranks of the Thirteen is difficult. The position of Ares is open, and to win, there is a gladiator-esque competition. When Zeus claims that the winner will also be gifted the marriage to his sister, Helen, she enters herself into the competition (Merida from Brave style!). But Achilles has his eyes set on the title as well, and he has Patroclus there to support them. But their competition with Helen turns into electric chemistry very quickly, and three must battle on the competition field for the title, and with one another to determine if they can find a romantic balance.

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca Publishing for an eARC copy of Wicked Beauty, by Katee Robert. This is my honest review in exchange!

3.5

I'm so torn with this one. I have to say that I did not read the first two books but everyone has been talking about this series so when then the chance came to read an ARC of the third book, I took it since they are stand alone stories. So, these books are about the Greek gods. This one is about Helen, Achilles, and Patroclus. Ares has died and people get to be in a competition to replace Ares. Helen is also the prize but she wants to also be Ares, so she enters the competition, as does Achilles and Patroclus. I like sexy times in my books, but I also need them to be part of the plot and these were HOT, we are talking some threesome action, but they were thrown in just to throw them in. Helen has just been attacked, lets have sex. We should probably be training for the next trial, but lets have sex instead. We are all bruised and battered from the trial, lets have sex. Things like that. Who needs romance when you can just have sex? Anyway, I did enjoy the book and might go back and read the first two books because I am curious how it all started now.

"If you're not fighting for something, you're going to get used as a stepping-stone for the people who are."

"The kind of beautiful that can spark wars and doom relationships." -talking about Helen

"Everything in Olympus ends in tears."

"I deserve to be more than a prize."

A series of trials will be held to replace the late Ares. Helen Kasios, daughter of the former Zeus and sister to the current, has a reputation as a spoiled princess, but wants to claim her chance to be more than that, so plans to enter the tournament…and then Zeus declares Helen as the prize for the winner. Achilles and Patroclus have been together since they were teens, so when Achilles wants to fulfill his destiny by becoming Ares, they both enter the tournament as well. Through the three trials, Helen, Achilles, and Patroclus will face familiar Olympians and outsiders vying for power, and longing for each other.

This takes a step away from Electric Idol, which was intimately focused on Psyche and Eros and their relationship and gives us another different view of the Dark Olympus world. In many ways, it felt the most like Greek mythology (or perhaps that’s because I tend to enjoy the epics, and this is a strong nod to the Iliad): the three trials give our heroes the chance to test their cunning and strength in a very mythological manner. The politics of the Thirteen are critical to the storyline here, and felt very much to me like the bickering amongst the gods during the Age of Heroes. At the same time, Greek mythology gives plenty of space for the examination of sexuality and a throuple of Achilles, Patroclus, and Helen fits comfortably into said mythos.

We get all three POVs as a part of the narrative (each in first person present), which gives us deep psychological insight into the characters’ motives and desires. Patroclus has long been a favorite of mine, and seeing his logic and his sensitivity displayed through Robert’s writing was a treat. Achilles is brash, brutally honest, and yet surprisingly insightful, connecting in a physical manner with his lovers. Helen is fierce and determined, and carries the trauma of growing up the daughter of Zeus and emotional scars from a relationship with Paris.

Wicked Beauty lights up the bedroom - similarly to books one and two, the central relationship starts sexually with our MCs patently ignoring their true emotions. Don’t be surprised though, when the messy emotions of the trials and the bedroom work their way forward.

Could you start with this one first? I think you could start here more easily than in Electric Idol, but there’s key political worldbuilding that happens in the first two books, and having that background may be helpful here.

4.5 stars; 5 flames. It's a scorcher!