Okay, book fam, get ready to be OBSESSED! ✨ "Goddess Of" by Randi Garner just stole my heart and isn't giving it back! 💖
This book? Pure magic. Imagine: a sea goddess's daughter, a forbidden love, and a city teeming with secrets. 🌊🖤 Naia, our fierce heroine, makes a deal with the High God of Death and Curses (!!!) to escape an arranged marriage, and ends up in the mortal world with the swoon-worthy Ronin. 🔥 He's all warmth and kindness, but is he hiding something? The tension? Off. The. Charts.
Garner weaves a world that’s dark, enchanting, and utterly addictive. The forbidden romance? Chef's kiss. The plot twists? Jaw-dropping. And Naia's journey? Inspiring AF. 💪
If you love complex characters, heart-pounding romance, and a story that’ll keep you up all night, "Goddess Of" is your next must-read. Seriously, I’m still reeling! 🤯
Warning: This book is for mature readers (18+) and packs a punch! Check those content warnings, babes! 😉

This was a wonderful blend of mythology and modern fantasy. I thought the world-building was lush and the story had compelling characters. Naia’s struggle for freedom and her growing bond with Ronin create an emotional and engaging dynamic.

The atmospheric settings, from the sea kingdom to Hollow City, are vividly described, making the world feel immersive. However, the pacing is slow at times, with large time jumps that occasionally I felt bored but still so captivated and interested enough to keep reading. Despite this, the plot twists and emotional stakes keep the story intriguing. With its unique pantheon of gods and dark romantic undertones, this is a strong start to the series. I’m eager to see where the next book takes these characters

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was good. I expected it to be a new favorite based on everything I had read and heard about it. It started out strong but it started to level out to just okay at about 25% and it never went back up. The story and the writing style were excellent though so I do recommend this book. The fact that it ended up at 3.75 stars for me could be for a lot of outside reasons. I do think a lot of people will enjoy this book a lot.

Gorgeous cover! I really liked the story and the characters. I will likely continue with book 2, when it's available.

What a beautiful cover and beautiful writing but I just can’t connect with this book, I keep zoning out and just am not gripped by this story, The little mermaid and Hercules vibes were so appealing but it’s just not clicking, perhaps it is the modern elements of this, I prefer my fantasy to be more medieval. Thank you for the chance to review this book

I rounded up for this rating. There was nothing objectively wrong or awful about this book, it just felt a little lackluster for me. The first 75% of the story, I was utterly bored. It did pick up there at the end. I didn't feel any real connection between the main characters either.

This book packed in so much plot that it was sometimes a challenge to keep up! At first, I thought we were stepping into a classic fantasy setting, full of gods and divine intrigue. But just as I was settling in, the world shifted, revealing a modern landscape complete with smartphones, newspapers, cars, and even breweries. That unexpected mix of mythology and contemporary elements threw me off at first, and while it took some getting used to, it did make for a unique perspective shift. The story had plenty of interesting moments, but the pacing and world-building didn’t always flow smoothly, making it a bit hard to stay fully engaged.

At the heart of it all is a young goddess desperate to escape her fate, so she makes a deal with a god far more powerful than she is. The catch? She won’t even know the terms until the time comes. As she navigates the human world, she’s forced to confront long-hidden truths and unravel secrets that change everything she thought she knew. While this book wasn’t a perfect read for me, I’m still invested enough in the story to pick up book two and see where things go next.

I am sad to say that my enjoyment of the book did not match my enjoyment of the cover. Cover design is a 5+/5 stars, fantastic. The book itself left me wanting.

I generally struggle with books that are most definitely fantasies, but then have very modern real-world components. In this book, we found nitro cold brew and cell phones, among other items. I found it jarring to read about a coffee shop owner levitating coffees around the room, while moving straight into another scene with elevators. Say what you want about the Crescent City series, the way that technology and magic are integrated is fantastic. I couldn't say the same there - they were not integrated whatsoever and it had me asking what the purpose of the real world technology was.

I also found the pacing to be difficult. I felt that the first 80% was relatively evenly paced, on the slower side and left me cranking up the listening speed and wondering if all these scenes were mandatory. And then the last 20% was pedal to the medal, everything is happening, we're getting time jumps, POV changes. Wild.

One last note - I didn't like the FMC. Towards the end, she has a mantra along the lines of "I will no longer be useless" and I was wondering how it took her 800 years to grow a backbone. Many readers will love the character growth, but it was too little too late for me.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for an advanced listener copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Naia is the daughter of the High Sea Goddess. She holds no title and no power and is subject to the cruelest treatment from her mother and siblings. Her father and youngest brother are her only friends. They are all she has until she doesn't and her mother has set up an arranged marriage in hopes to get a curse set upon her lifted the only way that can happen is to have a union with a opposing family. Who better then the daughter she hates.

When the wedding day comes Naia cant go through with it and makes a deal with the High God of Death to get her away the only way he will help is to accept a curse blindly she is desperate and accepts and escapes to the mortal world to hide.

With the escape comes a price that in the end she will fight with everything shes got to keep her new life safe from the god of death and her family. This was such a beautiful read and it ends with no cliffhangers and things left in a simi good place. I will definitely be reading book 2.

Also hello BEAUTIFUL cover.

Thank you NetGalley for this audio arc in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for my Audio Arc ❤️

The story begins with Naia suffering to be Wed to another God to break her mother's curse. Naia is a god with no title she was born this way and essentially a pawn in her mom's curse who's the Goddess of the Sea. Naia has the cruelest upbringing for someone who can never die it was incredibly brutal. but with every downfall there is always a brighter beginning and that is when she met Ronin a mysterious tall dark and handsome man from the witch island.

I though this was an incredible story it only took me a few days to listen to audio book. I think it can be hard to write the origins of Gods. They live forever and have it all or so we think. This is how this story was for me gripping and thrilling but also a touch of inspiration. You saw what could be done from a horrible family to finding the family that was going to be Naias forever. The journey flowed perfectly and the conclusion was nothing short of heavenly.

My favorite part was going from the past to present the past was Gods castles and the origins very High fantasy and the present was set in Modern day times. It was absolutely so interesting experiencing the world through Naias eyes as Ronin showed her everything that she had never seen. It was as if she was a tine traveler it was definitely my personal favorite part of the book.

If you enjoy a mix of traditional fantasy and urban fantasy this is the book for you 🤍

A beautiful tale of a goddess who suffered such hardship her whole life at the hands of her family. I loved the mix of urban and fantasy because it gave it an edge from other stories involving gods and goddesses. The only reason it wasn't a five star read was the thin plot. The stakes didn't seem high enough.

This fantasy offers a refreshing take on gods, goddesses, witches, and warlocks, with unique world-building and a Japanese cultural influence that sets it apart.

The protagonist, Naia, has endured 800 years of hardship due to being a goddess without a title, making her sweet yet determined and mistrustful. Ronin, the male lead, falls for her immediately, showing a tough yet caring side that melts hearts.

The book addresses dark themes, so be sure to check trigger warnings.

Abigail Reno’s narration captures the emotions and characters perfectly.

Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the early access!

Naia is a goddess being forced to marry Solaris, the High God of Death. This union was made to break both her mother's and his mother's curses. But on the wedding day, Naia has second thoughts and runs from her home. A fisherman, Ronin, takes her home after some trouble, finding her with some scrapes and feeling a bit woozy from her aversion to blood. But when Solaris shows up looking for Naia, she fears she may have brought trouble to Ronin's family and himself. But is her safety worth theirs? Naia must learn to accept herself after years of torment from her mother (800 to be exact) while also developing some attachments to those around her.

The telling of Naia's story was engaging and well-fleshed out. It is a mix of past and present points of view from Naia to bring you into familiarity with her whole story. Naia's story is empowering and beautiful to watch her heal from her past traumas and step into who she was meant to be.

Naia is a no one, a nothing, a minor goddess in a kingdom full of high gods and goddesses. Oh and did I mention her mother hates her. Desperate to escape her awful family, Naia strikes a deal with the High God of Death and Curses. He'll help her escape but in return she must submit to s future curse, so she agrees. Suddenly she's thrust into the mortal world at the feet of Ronin Kahale, a handsome stranger with secrets of his own. Can Naia escape her fate once and for all and live a life she truly wants?

*Deep breath* I didn't hate this book, but I struggled hard with it. First of all, I have said a million times that AUDIOBOOKS NEED CONTENT WARNINGS! Why don't publishers listen? I was immediately (thankfully metaphorically) slapped in the face with some of the most horrific abuse and torture I've ever read about in my life. I'm not lying here. Some of it is grotesquely graphic and had my stomach turning. Naia suffers all this abuse at the hands of her mother, who hates Naia's guts. While her father loves her unconditionally, he can only do so much. Her siblings are just as bad as Mother, sometimes worse. Her only saving grace is her father and her beloved brother, Finny. The abuse was really hard to read, and I had to put down this book so many times because of it, and because the story is told in the past and present day, it pretty much happens throughout this whole book. Honestly, if I'd heard that in the content warnings I think I would have put this book down. It's honestly something I never want to read about. Speaking of things I never want to read about this book has a surprise pregnancy in it. I really hate this trope. It's my least favorite trope ever. Had I known about it, I would not have read this book. Coupled with the abuse, it's a double no from me. However, Randi Garner is a great writer, but her story is a character story, which made it kind of difficult to immerse myself in the world. There's nothing wrong with character stories. I prefer them actually. However, a little more world building would have helped me visualize the world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. I didn't love Abigail Reno (no notes on Benjamin Crow as he just narrates the epilogue). Look, I get it. The West has an undying fascination with the East, and Garner decided to throw a Japanese family in her book, complete with Japanese words (more than American faves like kimono and sushi). So what's the problem? Reno couldn't pronounce a handful of these words correctly (some of which are used more than once). It was actually painful to hear (especially for someone who lived in Japan for 10 years). So nah, I didn't like Reno as the narrator.

I can’t believe this book came out last year and I haven’t seen it yet! The perfect romantasy with all the feels. A great mix of a mythology story with a modern setting. I can’t wait to get this in the hands of my readers!

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape for an ALC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I listened to this as an audiobook, the narrators did an excellent job bringing the story to life. Both Abigal Reno and Benjamin Crow had very easy voices to listen to. Reno’s dramatization of Naia really added to the gentle, softness of the character. I thought the audio was well produced and flowed between the chapters at a lovely pace.

I enjoyed this story and think I will listen to the second instalment when it is available. I thought there was good world building and liked the crafted mythology surrounding the Gods. I have to admit that I was a bit surprised about the contemporary magic realism element and the somewhat ‘gangland’, ‘pub mafia’ turf wars taking place. The story has some real, vivid and ordinary moments that Naia experiences for the first time and a lot of emphasis is placed on these. Then there are outlandish, escalating situations that we just have to go with as commonplace. She is a deity after all!

I found the pace of the book good, and I liked the flitting between timelines, getting to know Naia’s backstory. I feel like I was rooting for Naia to have a real empowering conclusion, but I guess the wrap up of this story was very in line with her characterisation. I think I will enjoy Finnian’s story – I’m loving morally grey characters this weather!

I ended up stopping this one around 65%. The story was good. The narration was good (if slow) and I was interested in the world and characters however there were a ton of grammar and syntax errors that kept pulling me out of the story.

This book was definitely a grower and not a show-er.

I was ready to give up on this a few times in the beginning but I'm glad I stuck with it. It is a slow, slow burn plot. There is a lot of story building that happens that feels dry at times, maybe a bit pointless, but it really all comes together in the last 20%. On paper, I should hate this book. I don't generally love urban fantasy, there are tropes I LOATHE but I am so ready for book #2.

If you're a reader that wants to take their time to get to the payoff, this is your book.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook copy. I attest that I am leaving my review honestly and voluntarily.

Title: The Goddess Of
Where I Read: Audiobook via NetGalley
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The RayView: ✨✨✨✨.5
The HeatRay: 💥
How It Be Spicin’?: 🌶️🌶️
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𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, “𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘙𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘯.”  𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘫𝘢𝘸𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦. “𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦.”
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CW: Please check trigger warnings before reading this novel. Includes things like: Shmurder, animal abuse leading to death, forced coupling, pregnancy discussions.
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Naia is the goddess of…well, nothing. Born without a distinguishable title, she is destined to suffer the whims of her mother, Mira, Goddess of the High Sea. Tragedy after tragedy befalls the young goddess and on the eve of her wedding to a god she doesn’t love, she seeks out the High God of Death and Curses. Agreeing to a curse she knows nothing about, she flees to the mortal land where she runs into Ronin, a human who keeps his secrets close to his belt just as Naia does. Until all hell breaks loose that is. Stuck with a tough decision, Naia and Ronin are certain of one thing- they’ll do it together.
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I’ll be honest, I heard God of Death and immediately hoped he and Naia ended up together. 😂 But as I listened, I fell in love with Ronin and his story. I’m a huge sucker for the “fated to be together” trope and this book did not disappoint. An absolutely amazing listen! The narrator made this story come to life and I enjoyed every second. I’m thrilled I was given the opportunity to ALC read The Goddess Of and look forward to the second book’s audio release.

This was a lovely book that I could not put down! I loved the narrator and enjoyed her different voices and smooth reading style. I have already purchased the next book.