7th Circle plunges readers into a gritty narrative packed with tension, intrigue, and a labyrinthine exploration of power and morality. At the center of this pulsating tale stands Hades, a compelling anti-hero who has orchestrated one of the most infamous events in the criminal underbelly—the massacre of the Tri-state Timberwolves. As his empire rises from the bloodstained ashes of the old guard, readers are drawn into Hades's world, where loyalty is a currency and survival often comes at a staggering cost. From the outset, James crafts an atmosphere heavy with foreboding—a world where true motivations remain obscured, and trust is a rare commodity. Hades is both feared and revered, a figure who embodies the traits of a ruthless leader yet grapples with the weight of his own vulnerabilities. The exploration of his character is particularly enthralling: while he is determined to protect his empire and those who depend on him, he is also painfully aware that his choices—especially regarding personal relationships—can lead to devastating consequences.
The plot thickens as Hades's desire for control is challenged by his own desires. James skillfully weaves a tapestry of high stakes, where sex and power become dangerously intertwined. Hades’s internal conflict over his personal weaknesses adds depth to a narrative that is as thrilling as it is reflective. The supporting characters are equally well-developed, each one offering a distinct perspective within the chaotic realm of organized crime. Their interactions with Hades not only enrich the plot but also reflect the broader themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the cost of ambition. Overall, I highly recommend this book, especially to fans of dark romance and suspense!

Story line was really good, definitely keeps you on your toes, especially with that cliffhanger, can’t wait for the next installment!

Just finished diving into *7th Circle*, the first book in *The Hades Series* by Tate James, and wow—what a ride! This book is a must-read for anyone who loves a strong, badass female lead. Hades absolutely owns Shadow Grove, and her character is as fierce as they come.

Even if you haven't read the Madison Kate series, no worries—you can still fully enjoy this book, though there are a few nods to the MK storyline. But let’s talk about the spice level—it’s off the charts! 🌶️ Plus, there's a gripping mystery/thriller element that keeps you on the edge of your seat, leading up to a cliffhanger that left me craving the next installment.

I can’t wait to see what’s next for Hades and the crew. If you're into dark romance with a side of mystery, add this to your TBR!

I’m always a little nervous to reread books, but so far, Shadow Grove remains to be one of my favorite dark romance worlds.

Tate James is a master of weaving together suspenseful plots with some spicy spice; 7th Circle is no exception.

Hades is an incredible FMC. She is an absolute badass who demands respect in any room she enters and will do anything to protect those that she loves.

It’s hard to choose a favorite of the Hades men. Lucas, Cass, and Zed are all completely different and bring out a different side to Hades.

I can’t wait to continue through this series again, I may also have to visit other parts of Shadow Grove again as well!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5

Spice: 🌶🌶.5 / 5

Okay, SO. I started this and had no idea why I would do this to myself. Right off the bat, smut. If that's your thing, that's so great for you. But I love taking the time to get to know the characters and getting some of the plot out of the way.

First impressions? Not great. About 1/3 of the way in? INTRIGUED. I understand why these are highly rated. I loved the way Hades was such a badass at a young age, and it made me crave more of her backstory. This quickly got good when we started introducing more gangs and how the way things are handled in Shadow Grove.

I was hooked after this. Although this was rated 3 stars, I have faith that this book sucked me in enough, making me want to continue this series. For being my first novel by Tate James, I'm excited to dive in more.

I heard somewhere that this was a reverse harem, and the introduction of potential lovers in this book has me excited to continue, as past books that are reverse harem have left a bad taste in my mouth. Can't wait to continue on. 😈

I really enjoyed the Madison Kate series overall (minus finding the ending to be a little lackluster) and had heard from many people that they actually liked this one better. So far, I might agree with them!

Right off the bat we have Hades, who is a bad ass woman in charge of the Timberwolves. She's smart, she's fierce, and she's surrounded by hot men. I love her character and she's what I wished MK had been more of in the last book.

The men in this book are delicious. While she's only with one of them in this book, we are introduced to them all and I cannot wait for the stories to develop more with the other men.

The plot in this is exciting and quick paced. There's clearly someone from her past trying to make waves in her life now, and the thrill of everything is so good! With the cliff hanger, I can't wait to see what happens next for Hades and her men.

Tate James. TATE JAMES!! You are a queen. I don’t think there’s been a book by her that I didn’t love, and this one… YES. If you haven’t read anything by this author…. RUN. NOW!

My first Tate James books were the Madison Kate series. I’ve been obsessed ever since and this book did not disappoint!! Hade is a badass FMC who oversees multiple gangs. Her right hand man has been her best friend since before she became Hades, when she was still Hayden Darling. The men in her life 😮‍💨😮‍💨 You have Lucas the innocent golden retriever, Zed her right hand man who you can tell there is definitely chemistry there and Cass the older man she was recently rejected by. There is someone stalking her and trying to ruin her life and the only person she can think it to be has been dead for 5 years. I devoured this in a couple of hours just to be hit with that cliffhanger 😭😭 Tate James is good about leaving you hanging and wanting more!!

5/5⭐️

Just like the Maidson Kate series, I enjoyed 7th circle VERY MUCH!! This book was amazing from start to finish. It was extremely well written just like every other Tate James book and so were the characters. I love Hades so much. She’s so ruthless and badass and she’s what really made the book and plot so amazing.

This series is completely addicting and I am so glad to binge it for a second time. I think maybe I like it better this time than I did the first. Hades is a little more likeable than MK was right out of the gate. Maybe it's the mystery surrounding her and her world, but I was all in from page one. It's high steam Why Choose and suspenseful enough to keep me reading past my bedtime. I am so happy to be here again.

I would like to start by saying this was my first Tate James read and HOLY SHIT, it was so much better than I expected!

I am going to review this series as a whole because I blew through them too fast to gather my thoughts individually!

𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃

First off, 𝘏𝘖𝘓𝘠 𝘏𝘈𝘋𝘌𝘚! What a 𝗯𝗮𝗱𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵! I absolutely loved her. To be so young and to have gone through everything she did, wow. Just wow. Also, I kinda want to run a crime empire now?? Not sure how that's going to work out for me.

Lil baby Lucas with the big long schlong. we love to see it! I adore the relationship between gumdrop and the boys, not to mention the way he grounds Hades. He is so good for her, he humanizes her in a way that no one has been able to before.

Zeddy Bear, my sweet sweet Zayden. I love the history between Zed and Hades and how it makes their connection so strong. They have been through literally everything together. How could they come out of all that and not be in love? Impossible. Also, I never once believed that he set Hades up. He loved her way too much to ever betray her.

Best for last, right? 𝘾𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙚𝙡 𝙈𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙁𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣 𝙎𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩. I would burn the world down for Grumpy Cat. His darkness speaks to Hades darkness and lets her know that it is perfectly fine to be sick and twisted, that he will always be there to match her twistedness. I almost DIED when she shot him, but I knew my Big Man was coming back.

As for the story, I loved it. It was full of twists and turns, and not to mention the sexiest of scenes. Bringing back Chase from the dead was chefs kiss. He was the worst of villains and I loved hating him. I saw that a lot of people were upset with how it ended but I thought it was perfect. Hades just killing him wouldn't have been enough, he needed to suffer. He deserved to suffer.

Way to go, Tate! What a freaking series, I wish it would never end! I can't wait to read about the Guild next!

This was such a thrilling, captivating book! I was hooked from the very beginning!

This is a spin off series from the Madison Kate series! So it is preferable to read that first before this series, but not needed!

Can we all agree that we love a badass FMC??? And she is the one who get called Hades??? This is a mafia/gang style book with some violence, and beautiful world building to set the scene of where the series will go. And that cliff hanger??? I need the next one asap!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the eARC opportunity!

Thank you Bloom Books and Netgalley for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I went into this book blind and was pleasantly surprised. I think the characters meshed well. I had a fun time discovering who Hades was. I liked how the book ended on a cliffhanger, making me want to jump into the next book immediately. I can't wait for Hades's love story to unfold with a few characters in the book. I am excited to see where the book takes us. I will be ordering the new physical copies from Bloom immediately.

Overall, I am excited to continue this series and will be anticipating the next book.

Hades is a BA heroine. She is a savvy businesswoman and the leader of the Timberwolves. If
she wants a job done then she will do it herself, she brings fear to some. You can’t help but love a strong heroine.

There are three men in her life. The young new guy, Lucas, who she meets at one of her clubs. Cass, the older leader of another gang in Shadow Grove. Then there is a second in command and her best friend, Zed. Hades has a connection and chemistry with all these guys and definitely has some crushes, too. I’m curious to see how their relationships will progress throughout this series.

I like the mixture of paces in the story when it comes to Hades and her men. Lucas is very fast paced and was instant. Cass is a much slower burn. Zed, well beyond friendship we haven’t seen a whole lot of them.

I’m still mixed on the stalker element of this, but also knowing this is book 1 of 4, I am sure that will unravel more as the series continues and this is really setting things up for the future.

If you’re looking for a dark, MC, why choose romance check this one out.

If you were a fan of the Madison Kate series then you are going to love this one! We met Hades very briefly in that series and we get to delve into her store in 7th Circle. Hades is such a bada$$ girl boss that has be through so much. Plus her men are hot.

Talk about a ride!! It was so close to being a 5 star read. I personally didn’t like the age gap between Hayden and Lucas. It just had me internally cringing anytime they were together. But I don’t want to say anything else because I don’t want to spoil anything. Had their age gap been smaller I would have loved this book more. But I can’t wait to continue the series because that cliffhanger at the end 😱

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to arc read this rerelease!

Love love love everything about this book! Well written great storyline and fantastic characters. The relationship build between Hades, Lucas, Cass and Zed were great and it was fantastic to see each different relationship having a different dynamic which showed different sides to Hades. Absolutely a recommended read and I can't wait to read more of Tate's books!

3/5 ⭐️
Spiciness: 4/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for the opportunity to review this ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I love dark romance, and was excited to read about Hayden as this incredible gangster/mob boss. I think that your expectations for this book need to be that it reads like a bad gangster mob TV drama in order to enjoy it. It is ridiculous, but that is how it is written. I feel like the intent is for it to be extra and ridiculous.

General tropes/themes:
- Reverse harem-ish
- Mob/gangster romance
- Strong FMC energy

There were a lot of things I liked about this story, as I noted above. It is so extra at times. My biggest critiques were that it reads like a sequel (where I know nothing about anyone and feel like there is this whole backstory that I was missing). Hayden is described as such a badass, but I really wanted an “actions speak louder than words” moment where it became clear why she was called a bad ass… that moment never really hit me. It all felt very very high school. Her sister? Her entire crime operation? It just fell a little flat for me.

There were a few twists, which I enjoyed, and I really just wanted more out of the whole story! But I do think that those who like the sound of this would really enjoy the story overall!

I love Tate James's writing style! This book was such a great balance of world building, storytelling, and spice! I loved each and every page!

I really liked where the relationship with Lucas is going and how it is playing off of Hades relationships with Zed and Cass.

My favorite part of this book was how you can feel the power Hades has with the way the author describes a look she gives or the way she is running her empire! I love what a strong character she is!

I can't wait to see where the story goes!

Amazing!!!

I read this book a few years ago, and I think it was even better the second time around. I forgot how amazing this story was. The tension in this book is unmatched. I love a why choose romance that has the guys at rivals in the beginning because you get all of that drama and angst that comes with something like a love triangle, but then you know everyone wins and ends up together in the end.

Hades is the bada** mob boss of my dreams. She is so strong and powerful and isn't afraid to get her hands dirty. Did I also mention that she doesn't need to be saved? I love the way that she has a really traumatic past, but she doesn't let things hold her down. She is one of my favorite FMCs that I have ever read and she could step on me and I would thank her.

Go read this book! Don't be mad at me when you get to the cliffhanger at the end though.

Thank you to bloom for sending me a gifted copy of this book. It was such a joy to go back to shadow grove and be reminded why Tate James is one of my favorite authors of all time. Now I'm going to go start Anarchy!!!