Rating: 4.5 Stars
Release Date: August 8, 2023
Format: Audiobook
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
From the Publisher: 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 them both, their city, and everyone they've come to love.
Review: Step aside Taylor Swift, this isn't just a Cruel Summer it's Cruel Seduction Summer! Katee has done it again, the fifth volume in the Dark Olympus series and they just get better every single time. First, I am going to be very honest with you all and say I looked up the tags and trigger warnings before reading and was so confused about what I was going to be reading about. I had no idea what a Poly Knot even meant but I was intrigued to find out and was not disappointed.
This story can be read as a stand-alone but better as part of the series. Cruel Seduction is all about Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Adonis and Pandora and how their relationships with each other grow and evolve while dealing with the threat that has come to Olympus. The story is told from each character's POV at one point and I found each of the characters had heart and were distinguishable from each other. I loved how none of the characters wanted to be with each other in the beginning and slowly fell into lust and then grew into loving and becoming a found family of sorts.
I think one of my favorite parts was certain characters not realizing their feelings and were like, "What is this feeling in my chest? must be heartburn. 🙃" The relationships just played so well together and truly felt like each one of them contributed equally to not only the book but their dynamics in the book as well.
🎧 I listened to an audiobook version of this book, narrated by Alex Moorcock and Zara Hampton-Brown. These two have done the full series to-date alternating chapters by POV between Aphrodite and Hephaestus, female and male. I have loved them each time and they really make each character across the entire series feel different and distinct.
🌶️ Spice Meter 🌶️ : 5 out of 5 Peppers
Final Thoughts: Not my favorite (Neon Gods will never be beat) but still a show stopper, a wonderful continuation of the overall story and I will always be the first in line to praise and push this book onto anyone who wants to read it.
TW: Explicit sex, attempted murder, murder, violence, blood, child abuse (historical, non-graphic), attempted sexual assault (historical, off-page)
Disclaimer: Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Comments