There was a lot to enjoy about this take on a classic regency novel with a slight nod to old myths.

The positives:
* Great tropes such as marriage convenience ( I love both a "forced to marry or be ruined" and a "marry as a business plot but fall in love"), wallflower protagonists and insta-love/lust.
* The subtle retelling of Hades and Persephone was a good premise and this was the first variant i had read that placed the myth in a regency historical.
* Mildly spicy with a relatively believable HEA.
* A decent cast of archetypal, but promising supporting characters with much room for further stories in the series.

The negatives:
* The deep dark secret is pretty anticlimactic and only matters as a foil for our hero to have to "outgrow" his tragic past.
* Some of the plot is furthered by events that are just a bit too coincidental.
* The subtle fourth wall breaking with the characters themselves talking about the Hades and Persephone myth is somewhat heavy handed at time.

Overall, a really enjoyable first novel that will hit all the high points that historical romance readers love.

The Temple of Persephone did a wonderful job of combining two of my favorite things: Greek mythology & Regency romance. Persephone and Aidon are very well-written and feel authentic to both the Persephone/Hades mythological characters as well as people of their station who lived in the Regency era. I'd say the one weak spot of the book was the "secret" that Aidon was keeping. Firstly - it wasn't much of a secret, as it felt telegraphed from page one, and secondly - who cares??

All that said, I did very much enjoy this one. It's sweet and somewhat quiet, but also has some deep moments between the leads. 3.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

3.25⭐️ My first ever regency novel. It was cute, and easy to read with a fine enough plot.

Aidon’s “dark secret” was kind of lack luster. And for Persephone to feel so strongly about it and essentially force Aidon to give it up, seemed a little presumptuous. She hardly knew him and his past but that didn’t stop her from bulldozing over a big part of his life.

On the other hand, I much rather enjoyed the conflicts with their friends and the brother (I won’t spoil details here). That, I gobbled up, and felt where much better and believable issues Aidon and Persephone had to overcome.

Overall I found the story to be enjoyable. Not sure I’ll be obsessed with decency novels from now on (I find them to be a little corny), but I read through this quickly nonetheless.

"The Temple of Persephone" is a historical romance novel written by Isabella Kamal, retelling of the myth of Hades and Persephone.

Lovely, simple and funny book, which entertained and relaxed me a lot!

The brisk, effervescent writing, fast pace and short chapters kept me glued to the pages. I got to the end without almost realizing it gosh! I enjoyed the pleasant descriptions (especially those of the English countryside), the brilliant dialogues, and the lighthearted atmosphere of the book! It is a novel that put me in a good mood and for a few hours managed to transport me away from everyday life, enveloping me in a serene and cozy bubble.

I liked Aidon and Persephone, protagonists with their respective third person povs, a lot! Persephone Honeyfield is an intelligent, witty and determined woman,, who loves to read and suffers the monotony of the English countryside where she grew up. Deeply attached to her younger sister and her father, she still mourns the death of her beloved mother.

Aidon Barrington inherited his family's funeral furnishings business. Once a charming libertine, a frequenter of high society and the protagonist of numerous scandal sheets, he has lost himself in the process, becoming a shadow of his former self. A reserved and standoffish man, serious and focused on business, marked by a troubled past. A person who continues to appear in scandal sheets as the mysterious Lord of the Dead, the subject of dark and ominous rumors.

The relationship between Persephone and Aidon is wonderful! They don't get off to the best start: Penelope goes to Gallowsgate, the old Barrington estate, on a simple errand and here she unexpectedly runs into Aidon, in a meeting with a disastrous outcome. Suddenly on the brink of ruin, with no other way to silence the village rumor mill and save her sister's reputation, Persephone agrees to marry Aidon, in an unexpected marriage of convenience meant to help them both. I love the arranged marriage trope, and in this case I found it beautifully developed! Their sizzling interactions, their witty and teasing banter, had me swooning. Persephone and Aidon don't know each other, but over the course of the story they get to get closer, confide in, understand and support each other, falling deeply in love.

I admit that I had spotted the various plot twists of the book in advance and perhaps I would have expected something more, however, this does not affect my overall enjoyment.

All in all, this is a lovely and funny book that I recommend to lovers of the genre!

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is for anyone looking for a sweet, light, low-angst and very mildly spicy historical romance. The Greek mythology aspects are pretty minimal and much more emphasis is on very slowly unfurling trust being developed between the protagonists.

Aidon and Persephone's romance was well built up. I enjoyed the humour in 'asking questions' - I thought that was a sweet take. Aidon's backstory was intriguing, and I constantly tried to guess what the 'Lord of the Dead' was up to. I must admit that it was a lot of build-up for something simple. That would be the only disappointing factor of the book. The epilogue confused me at first, as I thought I had missed something in previous chapters; I hope there is a sequel. I would very much like to read about Venus' love story.

Very much enjoyed this unique take on the myth of Persephone! Aidon and Persephone had such organic, dynamic chemistry that their relationship left off the page, and really is the backbone of the story. The tension surrounding the mystery of Aidon's backstory was well-done too, and keeps the audience hooked and emotionally invested until the reveal. A very enjoyable retelling!

This was a lovely and well-written book!
Persephone and Aidon were fantastic together, and I loved how their relationship progressed slowly and naturally. They were great for one another.
Without spoilers, unfortunately, the relatively low rating is due to the disappointing plot twist. For the whole book, we are left wondering why Aidon is called the Lord of the Dead, and we imagine the worst things you could think of.
The answer was so boring and disappointing, especially when Aidon struggled so much with it, but honestly, I think it was a positive thing and helpful. It was much better than the alternative.

It was built on so much tension and mystery, that when I found out what it was, I just thought: "Seriously? All that angst and secrecy for that?"

Aside from this, I really enjoyed reading their story!

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Aidon runs a funeral home and is nicknamed the lord of the dead. He meets Persephone at his country home after she breaks in trying to find an old book of her mothers. They are caught in a compromising position and agree to marry. Then begins their relationship. This was a good book, I enjoyed the dialogue and story. A must read!

I personally could not get into this book. It wasn’t what I thought it would be but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a good book. It was very well written, I’m just not a huge historical romance type of person. Still five stars in my book because I cannot properly review it!

This was a sweet, historical romance version of the Hades/Persephone myth. It was a fun read with a great story and characters. Although a few times I wanted to smack both Persephone and Aidon because they couldn't get out of their own way, but love ultimately won out and all I really need is an HEA. I am wondering if there will be another book? Turn this into a series? I would like to see Persephone's sister get a book.