This is definitely my favorite of the series! It felt like a great balance of steam and quick paced plot. At times it was down right thrilling. This made for a quick read and I always enjoy that about these books. I’ve been very hopeful for a Ariadne book and this one did not disappoint. The relationship between her and The Minotaur took me a little bit to get on board for but they love each other fiercely so I came around. I really like the politics and drama of this world. I have no clue how many books are planned but I keep gobbling them up.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early access!

Dark Restraint was another hit in this series for sure! I loved the tension between Ariadne and Asterion and how they were almost childhood sweethearts in a sense. This book also dealt with some heavy topics like abortion, toxic parenting, and political power struggles. I really enjoyed the mix of spice and plot here and didn't think either one overpowered the other. Speaking of the spice though, I loved it. It is one of Robert's specialties and I was here for all the things with these two characters. The political undertones in this installment were especially present and I think the dynamics of Olympus are so interesting. Also, based on the ending I'm very curious for how book eight will go. I've been invested in these since the beginning and I can't believe there are only a few left in the series. Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the audio ARC to listen to and review!

A very VERY spicy novel about Greek gods and tales. I think there was a good balance between the plot and the romance, however because this is book 7 I think the plot could have gone a bit further. The book really hurls you right in the story from the get-go, which is good but also had some whiplash in the first few chapters.

I liked the characters and the relationship development as well.

The narrator for Ariadne (FMC) was very good and transferred emotions really well. The narrator for the Minotaur (MMC) was monotonal at times but not to the point that ruined the listening experience.

3,5⭐️

can't believe I'm saying this, but the plot was better than smut😅

I didn't really vibe with Ariadne and Minotaur, especially at the beginning, but true stars of this book were Hera, my queen, and Hermes, they made me scream and I need their books for yesterday

the smut was okey, honestly nothing special, but the plot finally started coming somwhere and I hope in the next book we'll finally see some real action

still I'm curious about Icarus and Poseidon and with whom Hermes will be, but most important - I need Hera's book asap and you're not ready for the person I'll become when her book comes out

Thank you Netgalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.

Katee Roberts is the queen of smut with “plot.” The overarching story line takes up the last 10% of every book with the rest of the plot focusing more strongly on the relationship between the main characters. It’s the perfect balance: there is just enough of a continuing story to tie each book together and keep it interesting beyond the smut, while still delivering on what Katee Roberts does best. Dark Restraint is no exception! Thanks to NetGalley, Katee Roberts, and Dreamscape Media for an ARC of the audiobook.

Synopsis: Ariadne Vitalis is in trouble. She's betrayed her father―and his benefactor―and now she's left to rely on the questionable mercy of Olympus to keep her safe. As with everything in this city, mercy comes with a price. For Ariadne, that means a marriage to Dionysus. She has no choice but to agree, even if there's only one man she's ever wanted―a man she's feared just as much as she desires. The Minotaur never had any illusions about Minos's plans. He was willing to get his hands dirty as long as the old man kept his word―at the end of this, the Minotaur would be given Ariadne as a reward. Nowhere in that deal was her walking down the aisle to a different man. She's meant for him, and he means to have her. Ariadne knows better than to encourage the Minotaur. Her relationship with her new fiancé might be more friendship than burning passion, but she is all too aware of how much fiery passion can hurt. She and the Minotaur are no good for each other. She can never forgive him for what he's done, and he can never change. But when his hands are on her body and his wicked words are whispered in her ear, she might just be willing to let all of Olympus burn…

Review: I loved this one. I felt like it was much heavier on the plot than the last few books have been. This definitely helps move the overarching storyline in Olympus along. I can't wait to read the next book. I've enjoyed this series so much and this book was no exception.

Thank you to the publisher for this arc this is the newest installment in the Dark Olympus series and I thought the audiobook production was done very well. The audiobook narrators did a great job in portraying both main characters and I loved that they brought so much life to the story and the romance. I give the audiobook narration 5 stars!

For the actual story and plot, I loved all the worldbuilding, politics, and new lore from the world, that was the best part for me while the romance was just there. I wasn't as into the romance and the two main characters but the spice aspect was really good like most of the spice in Katee Roberts's books. Overall this is an okay installment in this series that moved the plot ahead.

The narrators did such a fantastic job with this book! The book itself was fantastic! I absolutely loved it and can't wait for the next in the story!

Dark Restraint- Dark Olympus Book #7

By Katee Roberts- I've read all previous books in the series 3/4 ⭐ reads

Publication 8-6-24, Read 7-21-24

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media LLC for this ALC❤️! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal

Tropes: dual POVs, forbidden romance, surprise pregnancy, arranged marriage, dystopian city of Olympus

⚠️TW: h virgin, kidnapping, abortion, child abuse, dubious consent

🏃🏾‍♀️Run Time: 9:11

🗣️Narration: Zara Hampton-Brown and Alex Moorcock read all the characters. The narrators' voices fit the characters with standouts from Asterion, Icarus, and Minos. Asterion was brooding and intense, Icarus was always shaky and frightened, and Minos acted like their fearless leader. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story that was over too quickly. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along.

Summary: With the imminent demise of Olympus, Ariadne and the Minotaur/Asterion get caught up in passion and sleep together. Ariadne has to flee her father and seek refuge with his enemies-Hades and Eurydice. Asterion vows to get her back, even though she's promised to marry Dionysus. Ariadne, Asterion, and Ariadne's brother Icarus, are thrust into war and politics trying to get away from the city alive.

🤔My Thoughts: This was filled with passion, steam, and plenty of action. Asterion/The Minotaur was redeemed a little with how he protected Ariadne. He knew he wasn't boyfriend or father material, but was willing to try for Ariadne. Hermes was the MVP again, coming in at the right time to save the day! I was intrigued by Icarus' subplot of him feeling like he disappointed everyone and slept around gaining information and blackmail material. The epilogue with him and Poseidon made me ready for the next book.

Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Recommendation: I loved the audiobook and would recommend it because you can adjust the speed and skip (when desired).

Did I already read this? Yes. Did I absolutely need to reread this in audio form? Also yes. I just love this series so much and I adore hearing each book read by Zara Hampton-Brown and Alex Moorcock.

The chemistry between Ariadne and Asterion had so much history behind it, and so many years of longing, which made it especially satisfying seeing them give into their love.

I also really enjoyed getting to see more of Dionysus and his place within the greater picture. The political intrigue and shady dealings were amped up in this installment and I am chomping at the bit to see what happens next. The setup for a future romance with Icarus and Poseidon was perfection and I NEED to see what Hera and my beloved Hermes get up to next!

Thank you so very much to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this ALC. All opinions are my own.

Dark Restraint is the 7th book in the Dark Olympus series of interconnected mythology retellings. This time, the series is focused on Ariadne and the Minotaur. Unfortunately, these two aren’t my favorite couple. I loved Ariadne’s character, and while I believe the Minotaur loves her in his own way, I think she deserves better. I actually really liked the partnership between Ariadne and Dionysus. While they clearly aren’t set up to be a love match, they did make a great match all the same. I did find the plot aside from the romance between those two to be highly interesting. I loved seeing how the different characters were playing each other to achieve their own ends. It’s always fascinating trying to determine who is going to betray whom first. I will say this, though, Robert knows how to write a spicy scene. They were steamy and spicy in all of the best ways which went a long way in making up for them not being one of my favorite couples. At least they know how to have a good time together. I’m really interested to see where Robert decides to take the overarching plot line next. I read this via audiobook and really enjoyed Ariadne’s narration. I wasn’t as sold on the Minotaur as some of the lines felt stilted and didn’t seem to go as smoothly as Ariadne’s narration. It wasn’t enough to take away from my enjoyment, but it was something that I noticed during my read. Overall, I would still recommend the audiobook for Dark Restraint.

I've loved the Dark Olympus series from book one so I was really excited to read Dark Restraint by Katee Robert. I binged this book in one sitting and really enjoyed it. One thing I really enjoyed was the ratio of plot to spice. We got so much interesting plot that really moved the story along. Ariadne and the Minotaur both showed a lot of character development by the end. And that ending left me really excited for the next book. I did wish we got to see more of Dionysus but he ended up being a very minor character in this story. That was really my only complaint so I thoroughly enjoyed this. And the narrators did a wonderful job at bringing the characters to life and making everything feel even more real.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this alc in exchange for an honest review.