Robert does it again for me. I think of all the recent romance releases with the Greek gods hers are my favorites.

I love the emotional depth she's able to reach in a short time. You invest fully with these characters. I love the politics and the world in general.

Polyamorus are not my general romance reading style, and I've no personal experience with it, but I feel like this book has a good reflection of the honesty, commitment, and communication that would have to go into it.

If you've read the other books in the Dark Olympus series I recommend continuing with this one. I'm interested in seeing what happens next with the storyline for sure.

Thanks for the ARC NetGalley!

oh this book!! oh Katee!! so sexy!


We are brought into this story of Helen, daughter of the previous Zeus, sister to the new. Her younger sister has Althe title of Aphrodite, and Helen is tired of being treated like the pretty pretty princess. Helen decides to compete in the championship to become the next Ares, but meets Patroclus, and Achilles, and the sparks are flying.


Will any or all of the three get together? which one will become the next Ares, or will they all be eliminated?


Reader, you have a wild and sexy ride ahead of you !


thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this advance copy.

I wanted to like this so badly, but I just couldn't. The trope wasn't for me. I didn't feel any spark between the characters and it just felt odd. I will still read everything that Katee Robert's writes, but this was just wasn't my favorite.

Thank you to the publishing house and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Ares is dead. A trial will determine who will replace him. Helen, sister of the new Zeus dream of one thing becoming Ares and proving to everyone she is more than a prize to win. She's got two adversaries who might understand her and become more. One of them has a similar dream. Will they forgive the other if one of them wins?

Is there a book where Zeus isn’t an asshole? He is less cruel than the first, but still, I hate him. Here is what I like in the book:

• Helen. She is intriguing. I like the way she evolves. She heals from her past. She grows into the strong woman she is. She's not only strong, but she's also caring, and she only asks someone to care about her without demeaning her.
• Achille and Patroclus. They are cute together. You'll fall for them in no time. Patroclus is the nerd and Achille is the muscle (he is not stupid). They complete each other. I love their POVs and how they interact with Helen.
• The best scenes are after the three fights. If you know what I mean.
• The trial is well crafted and well written. I immediately thought of Roman and Greek history with the gladiator or Pankration.

The end almost broke my heart and made me wish for other books in the series. The multiple POV of Katee is perfect. She definitely knows how to write sex scenes and emotional scenes. The third book is another reason I would recommend reading the Dark Olympus series.

(Will also appear on Instagram on Wednesday, April 13th 2022)

3.5 rounded up

Another steamy book from Katee. This had a fun story, but really just focused on the relationships between Achilles, Patroclus and Helen. I enjoyed this, but I really wanted more of just Achilles and Patroclus! Patroclus was my favorite, and loved everything about him. This one was unique in the series as it had three different POVs. This had a bunch of new characters you don’t see in the first two books. I also wanted more of an epilogue!

Thank you Sourcebooks and Netgalley for my early copy!

This was indefinitely the best book of the series by far.

I am in love with Katee Robert's balance between storytelling and romance, she always manages to strike the perfect balance of plot, world building, romance, and allusion to the original greek myths.

I also love the normalcy in non-binary characters, and lgbt+ characters/relationships.

I cannot wait to read the rest of the Dark Olympus series.

Katee Robert does mythology spice like none other. This book had so much tension! I actually really enjoyed the conflict drawn out between Helen’s and Achilles’ desire for the Ares position. It definitely added a necessary layer to their relationship. Loved the smut (and sorta wished there was more oops). I think this may have been my favorite in the series yet!

4.25
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for an e-arc of this book to read and review. I really liked this take on Helen, Achilles and Patroclus. Katee Robert always knows how to make stories her own and I was immediately captivated in the direction she went for this one. The idea of the trials was so fun and it brought out a nice dystopian vibe. I also feel like this installment was the most plot focused rather than relationship focused. But don't get me wrong there, was plenty of wonderful spice! All three of the main characters were able to grow and open up to each other by the end which was sweet and I love when there's strong development. The end, however, felt a bit rushed to me. I would have loved to see more between the three characters. There was such a build-up with the role of Ares and I feel like the relationship got lost in that towards the end. I love this world though and Katee Robert tackles the politics of the thirteen so well. These characters are also so fierce and layered and I definitely admire that. Overall, book three is certainly a win for me and I can't wait to keep immersing myself in this world.

*2.5-2.75ish
The first thing I need to say about this book is that it REALLY isn't a retelling of any sort of Greek mythology. Aside from the names of the characters, this book had nothing to do with Greek myth. I honestly thought the dynamics in this book might make me angry because I like Achilles and Patroclus (although I'm not under any impression that they're cute or perfect). but it literally did not matter. This shouldn't be labeled as a retelling, just a normal low fantasy book with character names of mythology. It bears no resemblance whatsoever to mythology otherwise!
Now that we have that disclaimer, let's get into it. Honestly, every character felt more like a really common archetype than a person. Yes, I understand they all have their motivations and backstories, but their portrayals? Helen is Not Like Other Girls (not in a horrible way, just in that she's one of like four female characters and she low key assumes she's the only remotely unhappy person a lot), Achilles is an Alpha Male, and Patroclus is just a ball of anxiety. None of them were stereotypes or anything, but they weren't terribly original. Also, again, the characters have no resemblance to their mythological counterparts, yet another reason why this isn't a retelling. Achilles is not an orphan coming up from nothing, and while I sympathize with this Achilles, Helen, and Patroclus, again, if it bears NO RESEMBLANCE in plot and characters, is it a retelling??? Otherwise, I did like them, but I couldn't love the characters when they felt so thin (although they were well-developed otherwise).
In terms of relationships, this book had 'em! For those who don't know, this is an MMF triad book with an existing MM relationship at the start. One thing I think Robert did really well was balancing the relationship between the three. Although I haven't read a lot of poly books, when I see poly ships in fandoms with monogamous relationships, my thought is usually that because of the existing relationship and their individual relationships with the third character, there's a severe imbalance that would prevent a healthy relationship between all three. Although Patroclus and Achilles were together initially and had a rocky start with Helen and jealousy, the relationship absolutely worked by the end. I really wouldn't endorse a relationship between the three characters in the Iliad, but given that this isn't really them, I don't care.
In terms of plot, Katee Robert kept it simple: Helen wants to be Ares but also has to marry Ares so she has to beat everyone else to prove herself and escape a loveless marriage. It never really gets more complicated than that., aside from some really minor stuff clearly thrown in to hide the lack of complex plot otherwise. I really liked the trials and the overall idea of the book, but the plot just wasn't the main point. While it's okay that it was romance-heavy since it is a romance book, I wish we had gotten a little bit more.
Overall, I wouldn't say this book is a masterpiece, but that's really not the goal here. I liked the romance, but I didn't love it. It wasn't that I had issues with this book as much as it was that I wished I had more feelings at all. All in all, I wouldn't really recommend unless you already want to read it, but you should know regardless that if you're looking for romance, this is great, but the only Greek mythology is really the names.

While not my favorite of the Dark Olympus series so far, I really love the world Robert continues to build with these. Plus the characters are so dynamic and strong and just work. I saw on her instagram that she called this book a "whole lot of messy" and honestly yeah, that's it in a beautiful nutshell. All three of the protagonists are heavily flawed but yet... they work. I cannot wait for the next in the series!!

I loved this book. It was thrilling, steamy, and full of so much drama!

Wicked Beauty, the third book in the Dark Olympus series, centers around the competition for a new Ares. Ares is not an inherited position. In fact, candidates from anywhere can compete for a coveted position in the Thirteen, a group of leaders who control Olympus.

Helen Kasios (sister to the current Zeus and Aphrodite) wants to compete to become Ares. However, Zues surprises her by announcing that in addition to becoming Ares, the winner of the competition will also get Helen as their wife. Helen is not thrilled with becoming a prize and decides to compete anyway.

This is the first MMF relationship in the series, and the story is told in multiple POVs. In addition to Helen, Wicked Beauty also gives the perspectives of Achilles and Patroclus. Achilles and Patroclus have been together since they were 18, and are also in the competition to become the next Ares. Achilles was not born in the inner circle and wants to fight to become a part of it. Patroclus is only joining the competition to help Achilles.

Helen was a fantastic character. She has been a pawn her entire life. She is constantly underestimated and is so much more than her public persona. I was rooting for her the whole time. Achilles is a charismatic warrior, but can be a little impulsive. Patroclus prefers to be behind the scenes. He strives to be two steps ahead of everyone else, and is constantly weighing the consequences of their next move.

The plot moves quickly and it was really hot. This book had all the spice with all different pairings and group scenes. Achilles uses sex as a coping mechanism for when Patroclus gets stuck inside his own head. Turns out, that works for Helen too!

I loved the dynamic that Helen had with each of the guys and how the three of them really complemented each other both in and out of the bedroom. When the book starts, Achilles and Patroclus are already in a long term relationship, and it was interesting to see how Helen shook things up. There was definitely jealousy and other feelings to navigate. Not to mention they were all directly competing against each other.

This book was such a fun read, and I can’t wait to see what happens in the fourth book, Radiant Sin, with Apollo and Cassandra.

As the third book in the Olympus series by Katee Robert, Wicked Beauty is a bit different from the others. The two previous books were not on the nose retellings, but they were far closer to original lore than Wicked Beauty. As a whole the book is fun and plays really well into the world Robert has established. However, as a retelling it fell a bit flat.

Every time I think I’ve read my favorite Katee Robert book, she just goes and does it again.

This was so incredibly messy and I loved it.

The emotional depth of Helen, Achilles, and Patroclus was incredible. This book was a little more isolated and focused almost entirely on our three MCs, rather than Olympus as a whole. Katee Robert is, in my example, the best example of an author who doesn’t give up any characterization or world-building for the spice. If anything, the outstanding character building is what made the spice in this book so wonderful. I’m generally not a fan of Achilles-like characters but, by the end of this book, I was so in love with how soft he was.

Compared to the previous two Dark Olympus books, this one was a little more action-packed. I really enjoyed the competition element and, though I knew how I wanted it to turn out, I really didn’t have a clue how it would.

I also think Katee did a great job of steering the series in a really clear direction by the end of this book.

My only criticism, as is the case with pretty much every Katee Robert book, is that it was over way too soon. I would quite happily spend 600 more pages with this trio and I’m really excited to see how they show up in the background of future books in the series.

And in case it wasn’t obvious, considering Katee Robert wrote it, the spice was next level.

Content warnings, as noted on the author’s website: Abusive parent, assault, attempted murder, blood, abusive ex, miscarriage (side character, off-page, historical)

Let me just start off by saying I wouldn’t normally read anything by Katee Robert only because her books aren’t really my taste but randomly a couple of weeks ago I decided to request for this ARC and got accepted to read it. I don’t have much to say other than I really liked it. I enjoyed the plot and the characters were pretty good. Overall a 4/5. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book!

Dear Katee Robert, you beautiful magical creature of words.
Please use a time turner, so you can write books faster.
Thanks,
A Rabid fan

In full disclosure. I received a free ARC from NetGally for Katee Robert's newest Dark Olympus series. I also have read all the books in this series so far and most of Robert's other work. So my expectations were high but they were also meet with glorious achievement.

Wicked Beauty is the mythology version of The Hunger Games where Peeta, Katniss, and Gale all decide that a triangle is an awesome thing and love should be shared among all. It was high stakes, high action, and also I'm in love with that cuddle bug of Patroclus.

To determine the next Ares, a tournament is declared and anyone in Olympus can enter it. They will become the Ares and also get to marry Helen. Which does not sit well with her. In true Merida "I'll be shooting for my own hand" fashion, Helen enters the tournament to become the next Ares. She didn't see Achilles and Patroclus' messing up all her plans.

I love this book. Want next book now.

Katee Roberts continues to dazzle with her Dark Olympus books. While Wicked Beauty was a more loose interpretation of the mythology than previous books have been, it's still a great story and, as goes without saying, a deliciously spicy scorcher. Roberts' deft maneuvering of the couple to a triad is leaps more successful than any other depiction of polyamory I have seen. I enjoyed the characters and the story and felt that they were more than just an adequate vehicle for the sex as is the issue in a lot of books in this genre. I feel that if the reader does not go into this book expecting it to be a spicy "The Song of Achilles," rather sees it as a work to enjoy on its own (less depressing) merit (as some have failed to do), they won't be disappointed. I devoured this book just as I have its predecessors and I eagerly anticipate the next installment.

Katee Robert is going to be the reason my book budget goes over this year. Wicked Beauty is a perfect polyamorous, pitted against each other but somehow falling in love anyway read. Several shades of spice and the plot makes it difficult to put down.

Not my favorite out of this series or others Katee Robert has written, but still very much enjoyed it. This was a little more action, with the trials to become Ares and I always enjoy the smut and the level of consent of her books. It just lacked something other books had that this didn’t. Still good, and would definitely recommend especially if you’re a Katee Robert fan

With each new installment this series just keeps getting better (at least in my opinion). I immediately loved Helen when we were 1st introduced to her in Electric Idol so I couldn't wait for her story. Helen is tried of taking crap from everyone because of her family name and refuses to be reduced to just somebody's wife. She is a strong, fierce woman and she refuses to let anyone (even her own family) get in the way of what she wants (which is to be taken seriously for once). I really enjoyed the addition of Achilles and Patroclus. They were both such fun characters and really added to the story. Patroclus was such a gentle soul while Achilles was almost frat boy-esque. Both were fiercely loyal (almost to a fault at times) and once they accepted Helen into their dynamic they weren't going to let her go.

I enjoyed having the three very different perspectives to tell the story. We (the reader) got to see this throple's relationship develop and evolve from every side and I could not get enough. The competition aspect of the story was another major draw for me. We got to see our throple compete with some very prominent characters in Greek mythology (the Minotaur, Theseus, and Paris just to name a few) and it was interesting to see what direction Roberts took these characters.

At this point I think it is safe to say that as long as Katee Robert keeps writing mythology retellings I will keep reading them. Now I will sit here and not so patiently wait for the next book to be released.

A big thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an advanced digital copy.

This series just gets better with every book! Katee Robert writes some of my favorite MMF relationships. Furthers the ongoing Olympic politics story lines and I am really exited to see what happens in the larger world in the next book.