For the first time, I found myself struggling to get through a book by Katee Robert. I have forgotten live was going on around me when reading the previous books in the Dark Olympus series. But with Cruel Seduction, I found myself putting it down to read something else.

The spice and relationship building between the four characters.... yes this is a polyamorous (MMFF) erotic story.... is spot on. Like always, Katee brings it 150%. I think, personally, that I'm tired of the gossiping and backstabbing that is running rampant through Olympus. I know that characters are getting a happily ever after. But when does this world get one??

3.5⭐️

Not my favorite of the series, but this series is one I will continue to read, as it is entertaining, propulsive, and I want to find out what happens next.

However, the members of the Thirteen having their own names but then also the name of their role in the Thirteen is just getting so confusing 😂 also there were a lot of references to the last book and although I enjoyed that one, there were details I didn’t remember and I felt like I could have used a synopsis review or something at the beginning of the book. Not sure if this is just a *me* problem or something other people find difficulty with!

What to expect:
- marriage of convenience / enemies to lovers
- 4 POV - MMFF polyamorous relationship
- more political intrigue, assassination attempts, etc
- spicy spice of course as usual

Thanks Netgalley for the advanced copy! These opinions are my own.

Katee Robert can do no wrong. This one isn’t my favorite in the Dark Olympus series but I definitely enjoyed it. The characters were good and tbh I’d let Aphrodite step on me lol

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5

Katee Robert could tell me she’s writing a book about a crochet animal coming to life having a threesome with the house plant and a discarded game of Clue and I’d be so in.

We’re back in Olympus, once again watching members of the Thirteen sacrifice for a city that seems to care more about the gossip their leaders provide than the actual well-being of the city. After the unrest caused during Radiant Sin, we’re following the journey of the new Hephaestus and his marriage to Aphrodite.

This book was an absolute delight. If you left Radiant Sin wanting less slow burn but the same amount of twists and turns, this is the perfect balance for you! I would die for Pandora and Adonis, and the end left me SHOOK and so excited for the next! I also loved the throwback explanation about the Lower City and whether there is or is not magic and this world, and SPOILERS Katee still won’t tell us. 😂 Any scene with Theseus had me *sweating* and I’m not normally jumping on the hot guy murder train.

Five Emojis to Describe this Book:
🥵💦🫡👀👏🏻

I've loved the Dark Olympus series from the beginning and Cruel Seduction is no exception. I was honestly surprised by how plot heavy this book was. There was so much interesting drama between so many characters. I really liked the character development Aphrodite showed by the end. And thanks to that cliffhanger of an ending I can't wait to know what happens next.

Thank you to @sourcebookscasa @dreamscape_media @katee_robert and @netgalley for the ebook and audiobook arcs in exchange for an honest review.

Katee, Katee, Katee why do you keep doing this to me?!?!?

Book Five is hereeee and I flew threw it. Honestly I kept putting it off since I got the ARC because I knew I would like it and then be said I would have to wait until Midnight Ruin next year, but I read it in about 2 days and i'm ready to read it again!

Open Poly Knot - MMFF
Marriage of Convenience
Second Chance / sorta

The intertwining of new relationships and the rekindling of old ones was done so well. Eris/Aphrodite and Theseus/Hephaestus had crazy sexual tension from the start and Katee's steamy scenes are always in my top 10. Add in Adonis and Pandora and 🥵🥵 damn.

The chaos in Olympus is unfolding faster and faster, I know there are 5 more books planned and I am on the edge of my seat waiting to see what else Katee has in store for the upper and lower city.

CW: child abuse (historical, non graphic), attempted murder, murder, violence, blood, attempted SA (historical, non graphic)

Wow! What a brilliant follow up to Radiant Sin! This book is not only steamy as all get out, (Love the way that the quad ended up working out as well!) but it is also incredibly political. The macro plot going on here is SO GOOD!! and it just hyped me up for the next book even more! This series continues to surprise me, and I am itching to get my hands on the next installment!!

I was a little disappointed in this book. I did not like all the politics talk, no one cares about that. It also threw together way too many characters from Greek mythology for my liking. Also it did get a bit confusing having not read the last book in the series but that’s my own fault.

Good, not great. I think with so many characters I never really got attached to any of them in the romance. I will continue the series as I have hope the next books will get better.

~Thank you @netgalley and @sourcebooks for an ARC of this book!

Review:

“To everyone who loves MESS. This one’s for you.” - Katee Robert (dedication page)

~ Y’all, I absolutely devoured this book! This is the 5th book on the Dark Olympus series and the first book I have read with an open poly knot type of relationship. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I would like it or how it would work. But, oh man! 🤩🥵🔥

I absolutely love it and Katee Robert makes it work in the best way. I am so invested in the complex characters and the political intrigue (things are getting increasingly intense in Olympus!).

This book has everything I love: Greek mythology retelling, enemies-to lovers, forced marriage, messy relationships/feelings, and smut (oh y’all.. the smut in this book 🥵🥵)

This series has me in a choke hold and I can’t wait to see where it goes from here!

Thanks to Sourcebook, Katee Robert, and Netgalley for this advanced copy.

We are now up to book 5 in this Dark Olympus series and I'm starting to worry about the balance of the political story and the romance stories in these novels. This is particularly true in Cruel Seduction. While there is definitely some spice in this book, I think I thought there would be more, especially with the polyamory, but instead, it felt like a lot of political stuff with Minos and maybe this is a transition novel really? In general, I didn't get the sudden feelings between Adonis and Theseus as well as Pandora and Eris. It seemed almost like instant like? Instant "ready to have sex and see where this goes?" and that doesn't feel like the HEA we've gotten in other books of the series.
I would have loved for this book to have a little less politics and a little more emotional growth? Maybe we'll see more as the series goes on? Because who are we kidding, I'm going to keep reading because the political stuff isn't boring, I just need it to keep moving.

So yeah, more spice needed? More of a real HEA? I was happy to hear that Ares is still awesome.

🧐 my thoughts:
I was so excited to be able to read this one as an ARC! I am a sucker for any kind of Olympus-like reads. I also enjoyed the first four books of the series, so this one was highly anticipated for me! I was nervous about the open poly knot though…

👌🏻what i liked:
This was fast paced, spicy, and detailed. You got more details about what exactly threatens Olympus. I will always enjoy a read with multiple points of view, so that will always be a win for me. It adds so much more to the story. The ending though, where did that come from? I was not expecting that, but that was a good way to lead into the next installment of the series.

🙃 what i didn’t like:
This was kind of a filler book to get to the next major twist in the series. Maybe this is just me and my high exceptions that had been built from the first four books in the series.

🥰 special thanks
Thank you to NetGalley, Katie Robert, and Sourcebooks Casablanca for granting me this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

4/5

An excellent addition to the dark Olympus sequence! Plenty of spice but also definitely more unveiled about what exactly threatens Olympus. The love Square felt a bit much at times but overall it was easy to follow and enjoyable!

Great read for any mythology fans and for Dark Olympus fans!

Open poly knot...This book is fast paced devious fun. .

Wow. Olympus has never been more steamy, hot, complicated, and all kinds of action packed. No spoilers, so here goes....Aphrodite/Eris is the fiery rebel who takes matters into her own hands and decides to marry for power and she will marry Hephaestus.
Theseus/Hephaestus is a pawn of Minos and is forced to marry Aphrodite. They anger bang and immediately after, Aphrodite is in control...with Pandora, Theseus/Hephaestus's best friend. Aphrodite/Eris is attracted to Pandora, who is very much a pawn and an alcoholic, but kind of sweet. Aphrodite/Eris loves Adonis, but Theseus/Hephaestus is gong to mess with Adonis. You know, tit for tat.
This book is fast paced devious fun. I really enjoyed Aphrodite/Eris. Can't wait for more Olympus machinations.
Recommend.

Cruel Seduction continues the story of Olympus following with the marriage of Aphrodite to Hephaestus. Mix in Hephaestus's bestie Pandora and Aphrodite's ex Adonis and you've got the bulk of the book. Alternating between the 4 viewpoints we see how the citizens react to news of the murder clause and the Thirteen continue to grapple with control of the city.

It's all very linear. There did not feel like any major plot points. The story just seems to hum along. While, I enjoyed it because I've enjoyed the rest of the series it definitely felt like filler to help get Olympus to the next major twist.

If you've enjoyed the series up until now, odds are you'll enjoy this. The spice is what we've come to expect from Katee, but the character development and storyline fell a bit below what the other books were.

ARC provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for my gifted arc in exchange for an honest review!!

I always get sooo excited when a new Dark Olympus book is coming out! As always this was a great steamy mystery book. I love how each character builds off of where we left off in the previous book. I really didn’t think I would like this one because of what Hephaestus did in the last book, but of course I ended up liking him as much as everyone else.

This was a super quick read and has multiple POVs!

4/5 ⭐
4/5 🌶️
4/5 🎧

I'll be honest... I was really nervous for Cruel Seduction after Katee called it an open polyknot... I'm not a huge fan of reading about open relationships, but if Katee writes it, I'm giving it a chance (and likely loving it) and I was pleasantly surprised. This book was full of action, assassination attempts, sweet surrenders and spicy love and I absolutely loved it.

I was able to listen to this one and really enjoyed Alex Moorcock and Zara Hampton-Brown. I did have to slow it down a little from my normal speed as it seemed a little faster, but it also could have been their English accents.

I really enjoyed all four of these main characters, and while I hoped they could find happiness within their little bubble, I was happy that I felt comfortable with Pandora seeking outside spicy relationships with other people. It was clear from the start that that's what she wanted, even if she committed to Aphrodite, and I think that made all the difference for me. I really loved the relationship between Adonis and Hephaestus, they were so sweet at times and I really wasn't expecting that from Hephaestus at all. Even as his tune changed for Aphrodite I got all the warm fuzzies.

The ending about blew me away, it was so unexpected and I wonder what that means for the rest of the series and Midnight Ruin in particular. There's definitely going to be a lot happening in the next book or two and I can't wait to find out how it all plays out.

Prepare to return to Olympus in this new instalment of forbidden desires and steamy romance. Get ready for a wild ride through a story filled with passion, intrigue, and the complexities of love that defy societal norms.

As usual, the writing style is so damn smooth and captivating. The characters are like these juicy secrets waiting to be spilt. I love how Katee peels back their layers and uncovers their hidden pasts. Better than reading MuseWatch. And oh boy, the romance! A rollercoaster of emotions, and you're just there, cheering for them to find love and happiness amidst all the drama.

What I loved most is how Cruel Seduction challenges the norm and embraces love in all its messy, complicated glory. It's a rebellion of the heart, and I was totally here for it.

Katee Robert's writing style is like magic. She weaves this spell that keeps you enthralled until the end. And when you do reach the end, you're left with this satisfied grin, wishing there was more to devour. Cruel Seduction is a guilty pleasure that's totally worth indulging in.

I have never read a Katee Robert book I didn’t love. This series keeps getting better and better. The MMFF relationship and all of the separate relationships are all written amazing and I feel like I’m transported right there.

I really wanted to like Cruel Seduction by Katee Robert, however I’m not sure if I read this out of order but there was just too much going on here and too many POVs. The chemistry and spice was there, it was the rest of it that, unfortunately just wasn’t for me.
However I can see where people will really enjoy this!