*Cruel Seduction* by Katee Robert is a steamy, high-stakes romance that plunges readers into a world of power, betrayal, and intense attraction. The second book in the *Dark Dynasty* series, it follows the passionate and tumultuous relationship between two strong-willed characters, each with their own dark secrets. Robert excels at creating chemistry between her protagonists, delivering sizzling tension and emotionally charged scenes. The book’s gripping plot and well-crafted suspense keep the pages turning, while its focus on themes of revenge, trust, and loyalty adds layers to the story. Fans of dark romance and complex characters will find this a thrilling read.

i’m really enjoying my time with this series! it feels so different from what i normally read, much more plot driven than most of the romance in my life, and boy does this plot have me HOOKED. the plot truly thickened here in several ways, which we love to see, and i was into the entire polycule situation. my only holdback was that it felt like there had to be so much time spent on forming the relationship that it really was just the beginning of the romance, and i wanted to sit with them for longer. other than that, i really loved it.

Thank you NetGalley for the readers copy in exchange for my review.
First of all I'm deeply confused as to whether this series counts as fantasy or not.
Regardless, I DNF'd this book quite early on. I think I was confused trying to remember the previous books, stories and characters (this isn't the only mythology retelling romance book series I'm reading currently) but I think I missed a book (that's on me).
I will remedy this at some point but I think I have Greek mythology burnout.
I stan Katee and support her in all her endeavors but I think I'm going to jump over and read her Demon bargainer series for now and then come back.

I think katee has fallen into the trap of writing too many books, too fast. The writing is sloppy, the characters aren't dynamic, and the worldbuilding is lazy and honestly? more or less nonexistent. I'm not sure why these books remain popular, as there is no substance to them.

I'm a big fan of Robert's "Dark Olympus" stories. Yes, they are spicy but the political intrigue is just as much fun. This is one of my favourites of the series simply because the political plot shares the spotlight with the spice so well.

Katee Roberts delivers again with another scorchingly hot book in the Olympus series. Each installment keep getting better than the last as the enemies of Olympus close in.

This has been the most tame instalment of the Dark Olympus series so far. Considering it’s about a polyamorous relationship, that’s pretty impressive.

I wanted everything to be more exciting. The stakes were sky high but felt unoriginal. If everyone in the thirteen is fighting off literal death threats, it’s not exactly frightening to have Zeus threaten to kill off one of the thirteen. And we seem to be building to Minos actually doing something that he… never actually does?

It’s the same with the people in this relationship. None of them seem surprised they’re all pretty much attracted to each other - the surprise comes more from their desire to be emotionally involved. Which is great in an enlightened, emotionally intelligent romance novel, but isn’t exactly what one expects picking up a book in this series. Not to mention, it’s not exactly done well.

Predictable is to be expected in this series, but with the big swings Robert was taking (relationship-wise), I was expecting Cruel Seduction to be much less dull than it turned out to be. Please tell me I’m done with this series now; if Robert can make polyamory boring, nothing is safe.

Cruel Seduction by Katee Robert gives lots of feels with this love triangle on steroids. It follows Aphrodite (a.k.a. Eris) and her marriage to the new Hephaestus who murdered his way into the role. What can go wrong? Aphrodite is cunning and clever with her manipulations of the public opinion all while struggling with her ex Adonis, budding feelings for Hephaestus' sister Pandora and oh my could that be something other than hatred for her husband? Murder, mayhem, and romance the perfect summary of Olympus.

Katee Robert’s "Cruel Seduction" is a captivating masterpiece that effortlessly weaves together elements of romance, suspense, and emotional depth. From the first page, Robert's compelling storytelling draws you into a world where passion and intrigue reign supreme. The characters are richly developed, each with their own complex motivations and desires, making their journeys both relatable and enthralling. The plot twists are expertly crafted, keeping you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. Robert's ability to blend steamy romance with intense drama makes "Cruel Seduction" a must-read for fans of the genre. This book is a thrilling escape that leaves you yearning for more. Highly recommended!

I love this spicy mythological romance series from Katee Robert.

This one features Aphrodite and Hephaestus. And Adonis. And Pandora. As usual on Olympus, there are schemes and machinations that need to be de-escalated for our players to begin to appreciate one another. This one goes full poly at the end!

Not my favorite book of this series but the spice was nice. It felt a little longer than it should be.

Sadly, I am not enjoying the rest of this series as much as I enjoyed the first book in the series. I find myself skipping the spicy parts because they seem kind of repetitive. I also could not find a character I liked in this book. Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read this title in exchange for an honest review.

Definitely not my favorite from the series but still enjoyed the spice. There is way too much going on and different point of views. I feel like the book was longer than it needed to be.

This series has a chokehold on me and I reread every time there is a new book. Cruel Seduction lives up to the hype of all Katee Robert's books. The poly representation in this book is amazing. Highly recommend

there is nothing better than this series my god 😭 katee robert is the queen of my heart when it comes to greek mythology and romance wow

This book left me questioning some things - myself, Katee, the plot, the characters, just... a lot. I loved it. It was objectively terrible. There is so much happening and yet nothing at the same time. I don't particularly love Katee's style of writing, but I thought she did a great job developing a character arc here. I honestly don't know how to feel, even a few days after finishing the book lol.

This book was sexy and thrilling. The level of spice is exactly what I expect from Katee Robert novel. I loved the characters and would recommend to anyone looking for a modern Greek Olympic retelling.

I love that Katee Robert writes so many different characters. Volume five of the Neon Gods series is about a poly relationship between Aphrodite, the new Hephaestus, Adonis and Pandora. As always, Katee Robert has a wonderful writing style. This is easy to read, emotional and spicy. The erotic scenes are definitely not neglected here but there is still a good plot. This runs (partially) through almost all volumes and here we learn a little more about Mino's plans. However, many questions still remain unanswered.

All four characters were very well developed and it was easy to empathize with them all and understand their respective actions. You never lose track and the dynamic between everyone is very well portrayed. I like the interaction and the dialogues, so the feelings come across very well. All four are super different and yet they complement each other in their own way. The other characters of the Thirteen also appear again and you always learn a few new tidbits about the individual characters.

“Neon Gods: Aphrodite & Hephaestus & Adonis & Pandora” was another good book from this great series and I’m already looking forward to the next part. If you like Greek mythology and spicy books you should definitely check out the series.

As someone who loves action movies only slightly less than I love romance, this book hit an absolute homerun for me! The intricacy this series is building is phenomenal and my only complaint is having to wait for the rest of the books to come out. Twists and turns, heat and heart…it’s all there. Katee Robert is one of my all-time favorite authors for a reason and every single book she releases just cements that further!

I flew through this!! I really enjoyed this one and all the characters. Every book has so much story along with a healthy whopping of smut. I really enjoyed Pandora she's so witty and just caring. Aphrodite was super fun too as we're the men!

Thank you netgalley for the earc in exchange for an honest review.