3.2⭐️ i liked the retelling but if you don’t know the myth it doesn’t make sense. the magic building was never explained properly so it made everything convoluted

Oath of Fire by K Arsenault Rivera is an intense, captivating fantasy that weaves mythology with powerful character dynamics. Rivera’s world-building is immersive and full of intricate details, making every scene come alive. The story dives into loyalty, courage, and the inner fires that drive us, with characters who are complex and memorable. Rivera’s writing has an almost lyrical quality that enhances the epic feel of the journey. A must-read for anyone craving a beautifully crafted fantasy that explores both personal and larger-than-life battles.

I was really excited to dive into Oath of Fire—a sapphic retelling of Psyche and Eros with a fae twist? It sounded perfect. Unfortunately, this book was a huge letdown. It took me much longer to finish than I expected, and I had to push through because it felt like a slog.

The writing was cringey, and the plot lacked coherence. Psyche’s insta-love obsession with Eros felt immature and over-the-top, almost like a middle schooler’s fantasy, which made it hard to connect with her as a character. The whole "don’t look under the mask" setup had potential, but Psyche’s thoughts about Eros were more juvenile than romantic, making the relationship feel forced and awkward.

The story was all over the place. Events seemed to happen without much purpose, and by the end, the plot felt like it had veered into territory that didn’t fit with the rest of the book. It felt like a novice attempt at fan fiction, trying to combine too many elements that didn’t mesh well together. Overall, the characters felt underdeveloped, and I found myself not caring about any of them by the end.

This was a disappointing read, especially considering the potential for such a fun and unique retelling.

Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ☆ ☆ ☆ (2/5)
Spicy Level: 🌶 🌶️ ☆ ☆ ☆ (2/5)


Special thanks to NetGalley and to K. Arsenault Rivera for providing an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I’m always here for a spicy sapphic mythical retelling. This book gave me hints of some of my favorite Katee Robert books (with a bit less spice and more pining). I did feel the background of the story was a tiny bit confusing at times and I would have loved to spend more time in Eros’ worlds, but the chemistry build-up between Eros and Psyche was amazing. I had a wonderful time with their story, and I’d definitely dive in to read more if this became a series in the same world.

Thanks to Forever Grand Central Publishing & NetGalley for an E-ARC copy of this story.

This checked pretty much all of my boxes. Sapphic, a great retelling, and fae vibes?? What a time to be a reader!!!

All in all, an enjoyable read. But it felt like it needed more. More in the story like depth in the characters and just overall more.

This ARC caught my eye as a Sapphic Greek mythology retelling. This book reminded me quite a bit of another popular Greek myth romance series, except with a Sapphic twist which I always love. Unfortunately, the execution fell very flat. There is minimal plot until the last third of the book, and the writing style missed the mark for me.

In this captivating fantasy romance, the author weaves a beautifully intricate world filled with magic, adventure, and an undeniable chemistry between the protagonists. From the very first page, readers are drawn into a richly imagined landscape where the stakes are high, and love transcends boundaries.

The characters are delightfully complex, each facing their own trials and transformations. Their journey is not just about romance; it’s about self-discovery and the courage to embrace one’s true self. The chemistry between them crackles with tension, making every shared moment feel electric and deeply meaningful.

The plot is expertly crafted, balancing moments of heart-pounding action with tender, intimate scenes that linger long after the book is closed. The author’s lyrical prose brings the settings to life, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in the beauty and danger of this enchanting world.

Overall, this book is a delightful escape that deftly combines elements of fantasy and romance. It’s a testament to the power of love and the strength found in vulnerability. Perfect for fans of the genre, it’s a story that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a magical journey of the heart!

I love a myth retelling. I was intrigued by the description of this. It's an interesting twist on the worship of gods and their relationship to mortals.
This started well but lost steam for me.
Psyche is brave and smart, if a little silly. Eros was an enjoyable character and I liked her constant confusion over technology.
I just felt like this could have been shorter. There were large chunks the book where I felt that it was not needed and had no bearing on the story at all.

Unfortunately I had to DNF. I liked the concept but overall it just didn't keep my attention. I tried multiple times to pick it up and couldn't get through it.

I love greek mythology retellings so much. This unfortunately missed the mark for me. I didn't gel with the author's writing style and I found the world building pretty confusing. It was difficult for me to enjoy the book as much as I initially wanted to when I requested an ARC.

I wanted to like this book more than I did, unfortunately. It combined a lot of things I enjoy, including Greek mythology, the power of the video game community, and an adorable cat. But unfortunately, despite the many interests we share, Psyche never quite felt let a real, fully developed person to me. I also couldn’t quite wrap my head around the Courts and the complicated (possibly overly so) political system she found herself in. I almost DNF’d this, but I did enjoy the last third of the book the most, which leaned a little more heavily into the classical story of Psyche and Eros, and was glad I stuck with it. But even then, there were bits of the world building that confused and took me out of the plot. Overall an interesting and ambitious book that fell a bit short of the mark.

Kind of disappointing as a book. I was expecting more for being a lesbian romance, but it's just kind of boring. There's nothing great to say about it and nothing bad to say about it.

The premise of this book was super intriguing, but, unfortunately this book just wasn’t for me. I had trouble connecting with the story and the characters and was quite confused by the world building. I think you would like this book if you don’t care about world building, and want to focus on character development. You’d also like this if you like Greek mythology retellings, insta love/lust, and video games.

Wasn't sure what to expect with this sapphic retelling of Eros and Psyche, but I did enjoy it overall! I am very passionate about Greek Myth so I was so excited to see some familiar faces in this text, but was definitely confused about the different courts. It felt like they were talking about the fae, but they were definitely not fae (I don't think?), but Greek Gods (maybe?). The writing was immersive; I felt like it wasn't overly descriptive. I'm not really a fan of urban fantasy like this, but overall this was a solid story.

Thank you so much to @readforeverpub for the gifted copy!

I have so much to say about this book that utterly enthralled me! Let me begin by saying that retellings aren’t usually my cup of tea, however, retellings that I’ve been exposed to aren’t often sapphic urban fantasy.

Our FMC, Psyche, starts off in a seemingly typical version of New York City. A therapist who has had her fair share of trauma, Psyche is terminated for a mistake that she made with the best of intentions. As the book goes on, we learn more about the urban fantasy aspects of this universe, through Psyche’s exposure to it. While this may seem frustrating when compared to other fantasies that have rich world building at the start, I actually enjoyed the glimpses and nuggets of knowledge that the reader learns along with Psyche. I was somewhat confused by this at times, but that was in line with what Psyche was feeling too. Psyche’s role as a therapist is essential to her character and I loved the inclusion of healthy boundaries and communication between her and Eros (not something you always see in fantasy).

The pace of this novel was fast, and precisely what I needed as I was deep in a reading slump. A lot of this is pure vibes, and I loved it. There is a plot, but it takes a backseat to the romance and the overall feel of the book. Definitely an instalove trope, but it makes perfect sense seeing as this is a retelling. This was so different from anything else I’ve read, the journey was so fun and I was just as enamored with the book as Psyche was with Eros. I am beyond excited for the next book in the series (it’s looking like interconnected standalone books - yes!)

I thought this was a pretty enjoyable read. If you like Greek mythology, I think this will be right up your ally. I wish there gad been a bit more exploration or the world these characters are in. I also thought their relationship developed pretty quickly. I’m more of a slow burn fan so it was a little fast for me. But it was a fun read so I do still recommend.

Psyche and Eros contemporary retelling but with a bit of a twist in that this retelling does include the gods who interact with mortals. The gods and their offspring all live in magical courts to which Psyche gets an invitation after a terrible day. She decides to go and there she meets Eros, who is captivating and beautiful and instantly attracted to Psyche. They swear and oath to each other and Psyche is brought deeper into the worlds of the gods.

This was so so so much insta-love which I guess makes sense with Eros but I felt that Psyche often thought more logically about the absurd things happening around her unless it came to her romance with Eros. The world-building did leave a lot to be desired as did a lot of the plot and character development. This book was absolutely saved by how beautiful the prose was - there were paragraphs of gorgeous description that I devoured. I would love to read more of this and hopefully the next book in the series helps with the world-building and characters as we have already met them both.

2.5/5

“But, come on—a friend named Eros?”
“You’re a therapist named Psyche. I thought you were joking at first, too, but here we are.”

This is a richly imagined sapphic retelling of the Psyche and Eros myth that takes place in modern New York City. This version blurs the lines between courtly Fae and Greek gods and also manages to incorporate mental health, social media, and videogames into the story. I loved the juxtaposition between Eros’s immortal world and Psyche’s modern one. I appreciated Psyche’s online community, but I wish her sisters had had a slightly more active role. I particularly found Sid fascinating.

I’m somewhat familiar with the Psyche and Eros myth. It’s not necessary to know the backstory to enjoy this novel, but I liked seeing how elements of the original story were woven into a contemporary novel. I thought the merger between Greek mythology and courtly Fae was intriguing. Overall, I enjoyed this book.

I enjoyed this book, though it didn't seem as rich as The Tiger's Daughter trilogy. I kept wanting more out of the story than Rivera was giving me, more depth and more dimension to the characters. All in all, though, an enjoyable read.