Cruel Seduction (Dark Olympus 5) by Katee Robert-review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Google Play / Chapters Indigo /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 8, 2023

He was my enemy. My lover. My husband. And the one man I swore by all Olympus I would destroy.

*A scorchingly hot modern retelling of Aphrodite and Hephaestus (and Pandora and Adonis).*

Aphrodite has never flinched at getting her perfectly manicured hands dirty, and she’s not about to start now—even if that means marrying Olympus’s enemy number one, the new Hephaestus. She has a wicked plan to keep her deadly new husband off-balance, seducing the one person he seems to care about most in this world: Pandora, a woman as beautiful as she is sweet.

Two can play the seduction game, however, and Hephaestus is all too happy to put his new wife in her place. Her ex, Adonis, seems like he’ll do the trick. It doesn’t hurt that he’s gorgeous in the way of fallen angels, either.

The only problem with using seduction as a weapon? Hearts are all too quick to get involved. With Hephaestus and Aphrodite trading venomous strikes that feel a whole lot like foreplay, lines become blurred and emotions entangled. But a broken heart may be the least of their worries. With unrest in Olympus reaching new heights, these bedroom games may have deadly consequences for themselves, their city, and everyone they’ve come to love.

••••

REVIEW:CRUEL SEDUCTION is the fifth full-length instalment in Katee Robert’s contemporary, adult DARK OLYMPUS erotic, romance series-a modern retelling of the gods and goddesses of Olympus. This is Aphrodite aka Eris, Hephaestus aka Theseus, Pandora and Adonis’ story line. CRUEL SEDUCTION can be read as a stand alone but for back story and cohesion, I recommend reading the series in order as there is an ongoing premise throughout.

NOTE: CRUEL SEDUCTION is a story focusing on a polyamorous relationship including several same $ex situations, with multiple partners.

Told from four first person perspectives (Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Pandora and Adonis) CRUEL SEDUCTION follows in the aftermath of the marriage of convenience between Aphrodite and Hephaestus. Our couple are the newest members of the ruling Thirteen, and someone is pulling the strings behind the scenes. By marrying Aphrodite, Hephaestus all but secures his place in the hierarchy of Olympus but Hephaestus never expected to fall in love with the woman that pushes all of his buttons. Hephaestus reputation as a killer has earmarked him for assassination but targeting his wife means the possibility of two openings on the ruling Thirteen. Meanwhile, Aphrodite’s ex Adonis fears for Aphrodite’s life, and Hephaestus’ best friend Pandora is falling in love with Aphrodite. As Aphrodite and Hephaestus begin to navigate their acrimonious relationship, Adonis and Pandora will round out the four-some, ensuring a tight knit bond for security, protection and love.

The world building continues to focus on the fight for a position with the ruling Thirteen-think of it as the leaders of the strongest Thirteen crime families forging together to make the rules, and enforce their power and control but there is always someone else waiting for a seat at the table-death either by assassination or natural causes, is one way to take take the power from someone else.

The relationship between Aphrodite and Hephaestus aka Eris and Theseus is tempestuous at best. Eris and Theseus despise one another-Eris believes Theseus has targeted her for extermination but Theseus is a dead man walking as his reputation as a killer has made him persona non-grata, and at the top of everybody’s hit list. As our couple slowly set themselves on a path towards love, Adonis and Pandora find that they too, want to be part of the relationship with everyone else. The $ex scenes are erotic, provocative and intense with scenes of multiple partners and same $ex situations.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, powerful and questionable secondary and supporting characters many of who we have met in the previous story lines. We are re-introduced to Theseus adopted brothers Minotaur and Icarus, and their foster father Minos, all of whom has their eye on the ultimate prize.

CRUEL SEDUCTION is a story of betrayal and vengeance, power and control, obsession and madness, acceptance and love. The premise is detailed and entertaining but is often waylaid with the numerous first-person narrators such that I had to go back to double-check as to identity of the current speaker; the romance is passionate and steamy; the characters are struggling, embattled, determined and desperate. CRUEL SEDUCTION ends on a happily ever after-for now, there is no resolution in the fight for control.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews

Neon Gods
Electric Idol
Wicked Beauty
Radiant Sin

Please Note: The author has release several novellas and short stories that are not included in my reading order

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy