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Dark Olympus #4
Radiant Sin
There's nowhere more dangerous than Olympus...and no one more captivating than its golden god: Apollo. Keeper of secrets, master of his shining realm...and the only man I am powerless to deny.
As a disgraced member of a fallen house, Cassandra Gataki has seen firsthand what comes from trusting the venomous Thirteen. But when the maddeningly gorgeous and kind Apollo asks her to go undercover as his plus-one at a week-long party hosted by a dangerous new power player…Cassandra reluctantly agrees to have his back.
On one condition: when it's all over, and Apollo has the ammunition he needs to protect Olympus, she and her sister will be allowed to leave. For good.
Apollo may be the city's official spymaster, but it's his ability to inspire others that keeps him at the top. Despite what the rest of Olympus says, there's no one he trusts more than Cassandra. Yet even as their fake relationship takes a wicked turn for the scaldingly hot, a very real danger surfaces… threatening not only Cassandra and Apollo, but the very heart of Olympus itself.
As a disgraced member of a fallen house, Cassandra Gataki has seen firsthand what comes from trusting the venomous Thirteen. But when the maddeningly gorgeous and kind Apollo asks her to go undercover as his plus-one at a week-long party hosted by a dangerous new power player…Cassandra reluctantly agrees to have his back.
On one condition: when it's all over, and Apollo has the ammunition he needs to protect Olympus, she and her sister will be allowed to leave. For good.
Apollo may be the city's official spymaster, but it's his ability to inspire others that keeps him at the top. Despite what the rest of Olympus says, there's no one he trusts more than Cassandra. Yet even as their fake relationship takes a wicked turn for the scaldingly hot, a very real danger surfaces… threatening not only Cassandra and Apollo, but the very heart of Olympus itself.
345 pages, Paperback
First published February 7, 2023
About the author
Katee Robert
158 books33.3k followersKatee Robert is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of spicy romance. Entertainment Weekly calls her writing “unspeakably hot.” Her books have sold over two million copies. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, children, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and two Great Danes who think they’re lap dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,606 reviews
March 3, 2022
i just want a book for Hermes and Dionysus. that’s all i want. THATS ALL I WANT
December 11, 2022
3.5 Stars. I appreciate what this book is for the overarching plot of the Dark Olympus series, but as an individual entry this is the weakest book so far for me.
As far as the characters (Cassandra and Apollo, in this book) and the romance go, I liked Cassandra as a character but Apollo falls flat for me. Cassandra has a pretty strong personality on page and given that she's neither in a leadership position nor connected to any of them (unlike previous main characters) she has a different perspective that I enjoyed seeing. She has more realistic reactions to the crazy shit that goes on in Olympus than members of the Thirteen and surrounding families who are pretty numb to a lot of it, and that was fun to see.
Apollo, on the other hand, feels very generic and lacks much of a personality. When I'm looking back on the series months/years from now I think I'll struggle to remember much of anything about him.
Smut-wise, I'd say this has the lightest amount of smut in the series to date and what is there is relatively tame. And as someone whose favorite romance trope is Fake Dating, the Fake Dating in this book really did nothing for me and to be honest I forgot it was supposed to be a Fake Dating trope until I started writing this.
In terms of plot, Katee Robert went in a new direction with a sort of locked house party mystery plot that I think could have been a lot more fun and high stakes if it were tightened up a bit and explained more, but as it is it drags in some areas and the suspension of disbelief to accept that people are just playing along with the circumstances is...a lot.
What I like is that, like I mentioned above, this makes some waves in terms of the overall series plot and introduces some new factors that I'm looking forward to seeing play out in future books. This feels like a transitional book away from the more individualistic first books and over into a more interconnected plot heavy direction which I think will be fun and perhaps this one just floundered in the middle of that.
It's a relatively quick read (I read it in one particularly stormy Saturday) and if you're into the Dark Olympus series I definitely say continue on with this. I'm still very excited to see how the story progresses from here.
Big thanks to Sourcebooks for sending me an ARC of this book!
As far as the characters (Cassandra and Apollo, in this book) and the romance go, I liked Cassandra as a character but Apollo falls flat for me. Cassandra has a pretty strong personality on page and given that she's neither in a leadership position nor connected to any of them (unlike previous main characters) she has a different perspective that I enjoyed seeing. She has more realistic reactions to the crazy shit that goes on in Olympus than members of the Thirteen and surrounding families who are pretty numb to a lot of it, and that was fun to see.
Apollo, on the other hand, feels very generic and lacks much of a personality. When I'm looking back on the series months/years from now I think I'll struggle to remember much of anything about him.
Smut-wise, I'd say this has the lightest amount of smut in the series to date and what is there is relatively tame. And as someone whose favorite romance trope is Fake Dating, the Fake Dating in this book really did nothing for me and to be honest I forgot it was supposed to be a Fake Dating trope until I started writing this.
In terms of plot, Katee Robert went in a new direction with a sort of locked house party mystery plot that I think could have been a lot more fun and high stakes if it were tightened up a bit and explained more, but as it is it drags in some areas and the suspension of disbelief to accept that people are just playing along with the circumstances is...a lot.
What I like is that, like I mentioned above, this makes some waves in terms of the overall series plot and introduces some new factors that I'm looking forward to seeing play out in future books. This feels like a transitional book away from the more individualistic first books and over into a more interconnected plot heavy direction which I think will be fun and perhaps this one just floundered in the middle of that.
It's a relatively quick read (I read it in one particularly stormy Saturday) and if you're into the Dark Olympus series I definitely say continue on with this. I'm still very excited to see how the story progresses from here.
Big thanks to Sourcebooks for sending me an ARC of this book!
November 23, 2023
4/5 ★'s
I immensely enjoyed this addition to the series! Cassandra and Apollo had such a sweet relationship that they couldn't adequately bloom before because of their personal experiences/morals.
During this book, you get a juicy forced proximity (in the form of a party) that leads to lots of heat. But you knew that already — because it's Katee Robert, duh!
Cassandra is a sassy, savvy, caring character who would do anything for her sister. The big dream, of course, is to get out of Olympus.
Their family has been personally burned, and she wants a life free of all the drama and rudeness that come with the thirteen.
Apollo's character was just delightful. He is smart, analytical, and swooning! (And did I mention the spiceee) I think I enjoyed the spice so much because of how unanticipated it was from his character.
I thought he'd be a little love bug! And he was...in the sexiest ways!
Now for the party -
We get a lot of "tea" regarding Olympus's ongoing problems.
Frankly, we get more information than the first three books combined, If memory serves me right. There are characters that I loved from the other books that entirely shocked me in this one.
It ends with a bang in the Olympus department. I'm eager to see this problem being addressed in future books.
Our main couple was a delight to follow around while they unfolded the new mysteries together.
I have adored this series. I feel it brings fun new twists to a still modern world. The couples have been unique and diverse (even in their bedroom habits). I totally recommend!!
I immensely enjoyed this addition to the series! Cassandra and Apollo had such a sweet relationship that they couldn't adequately bloom before because of their personal experiences/morals.
During this book, you get a juicy forced proximity (in the form of a party) that leads to lots of heat. But you knew that already — because it's Katee Robert, duh!
Cassandra is a sassy, savvy, caring character who would do anything for her sister. The big dream, of course, is to get out of Olympus.
Their family has been personally burned, and she wants a life free of all the drama and rudeness that come with the thirteen.
Apollo's character was just delightful. He is smart, analytical, and swooning! (And did I mention the spiceee) I think I enjoyed the spice so much because of how unanticipated it was from his character.
I thought he'd be a little love bug! And he was...in the sexiest ways!
Now for the party -
We get a lot of "tea" regarding Olympus's ongoing problems.
Frankly, we get more information than the first three books combined, If memory serves me right. There are characters that I loved from the other books that entirely shocked me in this one.
It ends with a bang in the Olympus department. I'm eager to see this problem being addressed in future books.
Our main couple was a delight to follow around while they unfolded the new mysteries together.
I have adored this series. I feel it brings fun new twists to a still modern world. The couples have been unique and diverse (even in their bedroom habits). I totally recommend!!
March 1, 2023
update 05/27/2022: Obsessed with the colours in the cover, and can we talk about the synopsis? Ready to fall in love with Apollo and Cassandra.
I don't even know who this one is about, but I'm ready to love it.
I don't even know who this one is about, but I'm ready to love it.
August 25, 2023
4/ 5⭐
2.5/5 🌶️
Apollo is sexy AF!
Cassandra is plus-sized, stubborn, sexy women!
The Dark Olympus world continues with its fourth installment, Radian Sin- Cassandra and Apollo's story. I really liked this book. We get more of the plot and politics. Its spicy scenes are hot, with some k!nk thrown in there for extra fun.
The audio was well done, and again, the spice was super nice. Also this book had the reverse GrumpyxSunshine trope and it was TO DIE FOR.
1.Electric Idol 4.5
2.Neon Gods 4.25
3.Wicked Beauty 4.0
4. Radiant Sin 4.0
Quotes:
“Do you have a plan?” “I did have a plan. It was a very good plan, but then you put on those pajamas.” He clears his throat and subtly adjusts his pants. Holy shit, Apollo is hard. For me. “Now I’m having a hard time remembering what it is.”
“And to be perfectly frank, fuck anyone who acts like you need to change your body to fit some bullshit beauty standard. You’re stunning.”
Beauty is beauty in whatever shape it comes in. Cassandra is so beautiful, it takes my breath away.
2.5/5 🌶️
Apollo is sexy AF!
Cassandra is plus-sized, stubborn, sexy women!
The Dark Olympus world continues with its fourth installment, Radian Sin- Cassandra and Apollo's story. I really liked this book. We get more of the plot and politics. Its spicy scenes are hot, with some k!nk thrown in there for extra fun.
The audio was well done, and again, the spice was super nice. Also this book had the reverse GrumpyxSunshine trope and it was TO DIE FOR.
1.Electric Idol 4.5
2.Neon Gods 4.25
3.Wicked Beauty 4.0
4. Radiant Sin 4.0
Quotes:
“Do you have a plan?” “I did have a plan. It was a very good plan, but then you put on those pajamas.” He clears his throat and subtly adjusts his pants. Holy shit, Apollo is hard. For me. “Now I’m having a hard time remembering what it is.”
“And to be perfectly frank, fuck anyone who acts like you need to change your body to fit some bullshit beauty standard. You’re stunning.”
Beauty is beauty in whatever shape it comes in. Cassandra is so beautiful, it takes my breath away.
February 4, 2023
I pinky promise to write a full review but for now, ya’ll need to be made aware 🥴
November 26, 2022
The Dark Olympus series has been my jam, but this has left me puzzled
1) Radiant Sin lost me with the whole murder mystery plot, hard pass. There were way too many characters involved, and just everything involved with it made zero sense.
2) Cassandra and Apollo’s characters were not fleshed out enough for me to believe that two people who have NEVER hung out outside of work or had any sort of communication outside of the professional are suddenly in love after fucking?
3) Cassandra’s parents death and her societal ostracism make no sense when the majority of Thirteen placements involve murder. Plus there’s little information on what truly happened with her parents and again makes no sense 🤣
4) Hermes?????? Girl what
JUST MAKE IT MAKE SENSE
1) Radiant Sin lost me with the whole murder mystery plot, hard pass. There were way too many characters involved, and just everything involved with it made zero sense.
2) Cassandra and Apollo’s characters were not fleshed out enough for me to believe that two people who have NEVER hung out outside of work or had any sort of communication outside of the professional are suddenly in love after fucking?
3) Cassandra’s parents death and her societal ostracism make no sense when the majority of Thirteen placements involve murder. Plus there’s little information on what truly happened with her parents and again makes no sense 🤣
4) Hermes?????? Girl what
JUST MAKE IT MAKE SENSE
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2023
3.5* this was good but I wanted more smut and less politics 😅
February 8, 2023
Radiant Sin by Katee Robert
#4 in the Dark Olympus series. Paranormal romance. Dark. Can be read as a stand-alone. First person alternating POV’s.
Cassandra is from a disgraced and fallen house on Olympus. She is very close to her goal of having enough money to move her and her sister away from the Thirteen and Olympus. In the meantime, she works for Apollo, trying to keep him on track, at the same time trying to keep her crush on him hidden. When Apollo asks Cassandra to be his plus-one for a weekend event, it’s for her insight and support, yet at the same time he wants to convince other guests that she’s his girlfriend. As a cover. They both have lusted after the other for years and this weekend, sharing a bed, will be a huge change for them and Olympus.
Treachery, trickery, and alliances are all part of the powerful Thirteen. Huge changes are on the horizon. Will the Thirteen be able to keep the power?
🎧 I listened to an audiobook version of this story narrated by Zara Hampton-Brown and Alex Moorcock. The performances are compelling and gripping. Chapters alternate with POV and narrator and each do a fantastic job of keeping the reader invested and actively listening. The steamy scenes are hot and the political dangers are hair-raising. I think the audiobook experience focuses on the intensity of the emotions in the story.
I listened to this at 1.4 which is slightly slower than my usual.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media.
#4 in the Dark Olympus series. Paranormal romance. Dark. Can be read as a stand-alone. First person alternating POV’s.
Cassandra is from a disgraced and fallen house on Olympus. She is very close to her goal of having enough money to move her and her sister away from the Thirteen and Olympus. In the meantime, she works for Apollo, trying to keep him on track, at the same time trying to keep her crush on him hidden. When Apollo asks Cassandra to be his plus-one for a weekend event, it’s for her insight and support, yet at the same time he wants to convince other guests that she’s his girlfriend. As a cover. They both have lusted after the other for years and this weekend, sharing a bed, will be a huge change for them and Olympus.
Treachery, trickery, and alliances are all part of the powerful Thirteen. Huge changes are on the horizon. Will the Thirteen be able to keep the power?
🎧 I listened to an audiobook version of this story narrated by Zara Hampton-Brown and Alex Moorcock. The performances are compelling and gripping. Chapters alternate with POV and narrator and each do a fantastic job of keeping the reader invested and actively listening. The steamy scenes are hot and the political dangers are hair-raising. I think the audiobook experience focuses on the intensity of the emotions in the story.
I listened to this at 1.4 which is slightly slower than my usual.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media.
November 14, 2023
I'm not really a big Katee Robert fan because I find her books are mostly smut with very little plot, but I surprisingly enjoy this series. I still think Neon Gods is the best in the series, but I enjoyed this.
In Radiant Sin, the plot was extremely half-baked and obvious. The premise for fake dating was stupid. I also think it's really confusing that every character has multiple different names - I legit cannot keep track of who anyone is because people have names and then those names change if/when they become one of the thirteen. I also thought the ending of this book left something to be desired as nothing was really concluded in the story, but I'm guessing that was intentional to set up for some marriage trope between Aphrodite and the new Hephaestus in the next book(?).
However, all that said, I liked Apollo. While the plot was stupid and didn't really make sense, there was in fact a plot (rather than just smut). I enjoyed the little murder mystery element of the story - it reminded me of the board game "Clue," even though all of the games happening in the house were juvenile and ridiculous. I literally laughed out loud when Pan was hit over the head basically with a candlestick in the library (Clue reference).
The fake dating between Apollo and Cassandra was fun, although I think it could have been better. I liked their date at the beginning of the book, as well as their boss/assistant dynamics. Their 1st spicy scene was my favorite.
The mystery that Apollo and Cassandra were trying to solve was so obvious that it was comical how oblivious everyone was. That said, overall, I enjoyed the book more than I thought I would. It was still smutty but not overly rolling-my-eyes, over-the-top smutty.
In Radiant Sin, the plot was extremely half-baked and obvious. The premise for fake dating was stupid. I also think it's really confusing that every character has multiple different names - I legit cannot keep track of who anyone is because people have names and then those names change if/when they become one of the thirteen. I also thought the ending of this book left something to be desired as nothing was really concluded in the story, but I'm guessing that was intentional to set up for some marriage trope between Aphrodite and the new Hephaestus in the next book(?).
However, all that said, I liked Apollo. While the plot was stupid and didn't really make sense, there was in fact a plot (rather than just smut). I enjoyed the little murder mystery element of the story - it reminded me of the board game "Clue," even though all of the games happening in the house were juvenile and ridiculous. I literally laughed out loud when Pan was hit over the head basically with a candlestick in the library (Clue reference).
The fake dating between Apollo and Cassandra was fun, although I think it could have been better. I liked their date at the beginning of the book, as well as their boss/assistant dynamics. Their 1st spicy scene was my favorite.
The mystery that Apollo and Cassandra were trying to solve was so obvious that it was comical how oblivious everyone was. That said, overall, I enjoyed the book more than I thought I would. It was still smutty but not overly rolling-my-eyes, over-the-top smutty.
February 2, 2023
༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. BOSS X ASSISTANT FT. GREEK MYTH RETELLING?
Radiant Sin is the fourth book in the Dark Olympus series and I'm so happy I got to read it already. It's definitely such a nice ride and I had a lot of fun reading Apollo and Cassandra's story. I was kinda scared and nervous because after reading Wicked Beauty, I wondered who would be able to top Helen, Achilles and Patroclus. And tbh, though Apollo and Cassandra were amazing, I still feel like Wicked Beauty is still the number one book in this series.
This book reminded me of the board game Clue and it definitely has a murder-mystery vibe. I love it completely. Apollo gets invited to a house party hosted by an enemy of the city. But he needs a plus-one and who better to bring as a companion than his perfect assistant, Cassandra. That's not all though! Because they need to pretend to be a couple in order to not draw suspicion of the reason of their arrival.
A fake-dating romance with a hero who has been in love with the heroine for about five years, I think? *chef kiss* Cassandra has also been keeping her affection for Apollo a secret, so as you can see, THERE'S A LOT OF PINING AND ANGSTY MOMENTS BETWEEN THEM. Cassandra hates everything to do with the Thirteen so she's ready to walk away for good. So even though she feels Apollo is the one and no one will be able to make her forget about him in the future, she knows she cannot stay. SO WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO NOW? You'll just have to read and find out for yourself.
I really love this series. I think it's entertaining, so easy to read and get into, and you get this enormous cast of characters who you constantly see in other books in the same series. You get to see where they at after their book ends. And even though they're standalones, I do believe there's a tiny thread throughout all the books that you might miss if you don't read them in order.
Radiant Sin is the fourth book in the Dark Olympus series and I'm so happy I got to read it already. It's definitely such a nice ride and I had a lot of fun reading Apollo and Cassandra's story. I was kinda scared and nervous because after reading Wicked Beauty, I wondered who would be able to top Helen, Achilles and Patroclus. And tbh, though Apollo and Cassandra were amazing, I still feel like Wicked Beauty is still the number one book in this series.
This book reminded me of the board game Clue and it definitely has a murder-mystery vibe. I love it completely. Apollo gets invited to a house party hosted by an enemy of the city. But he needs a plus-one and who better to bring as a companion than his perfect assistant, Cassandra. That's not all though! Because they need to pretend to be a couple in order to not draw suspicion of the reason of their arrival.
A fake-dating romance with a hero who has been in love with the heroine for about five years, I think? *chef kiss* Cassandra has also been keeping her affection for Apollo a secret, so as you can see, THERE'S A LOT OF PINING AND ANGSTY MOMENTS BETWEEN THEM. Cassandra hates everything to do with the Thirteen so she's ready to walk away for good. So even though she feels Apollo is the one and no one will be able to make her forget about him in the future, she knows she cannot stay. SO WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO NOW? You'll just have to read and find out for yourself.
I really love this series. I think it's entertaining, so easy to read and get into, and you get this enormous cast of characters who you constantly see in other books in the same series. You get to see where they at after their book ends. And even though they're standalones, I do believe there's a tiny thread throughout all the books that you might miss if you don't read them in order.
February 11, 2023
This is probably the most boring book I've read this year, and that's not saying a lot since we're not even a full two months in, but my God, was I bored.
My expectations were probably too high, because the previous book was the best in the series so I thought it would go up from there. I was wrong.
As a whole, Katee Robert's books have never really worked for me so that might be a part of the reason why I didn't enjoy this.
Before starting Radiant Sin I added the next book to my tbr, but when I started it I ended up removing it because honestly, I don't like this series. The first book was okay, I didn't like the second, the third was the best like I said and I did like it, but this one I hated.
So I don't need to be a completionist and finish a series I'm not enjoying. Especially one that isn't even super connected storyline wise. I just don't. And I think I'll take a long break from Katee Robert's books, unless if something truly amazing - never been done before - can't resist reading it etc etc appears.
My expectations were probably too high, because the previous book was the best in the series so I thought it would go up from there. I was wrong.
As a whole, Katee Robert's books have never really worked for me so that might be a part of the reason why I didn't enjoy this.
Before starting Radiant Sin I added the next book to my tbr, but when I started it I ended up removing it because honestly, I don't like this series. The first book was okay, I didn't like the second, the third was the best like I said and I did like it, but this one I hated.
So I don't need to be a completionist and finish a series I'm not enjoying. Especially one that isn't even super connected storyline wise. I just don't. And I think I'll take a long break from Katee Robert's books, unless if something truly amazing - never been done before - can't resist reading it etc etc appears.
April 6, 2023
Omg I think I found my fav book in the series so far!! Apollo is absolutely wonderful I fell in love with this man in an instant heartbeat. Also this book had the reverse GrumpyxSunshine trope and it was TO DIE FOR.
And as I’ve always mentioned IM DYING FOR Zeus and Hera’s story!! Any time I hear about them, I FALL for them EVERYTIME. Also Zeus calling Hera his wife>>>>
And as I’ve always mentioned IM DYING FOR Zeus and Hera’s story!! Any time I hear about them, I FALL for them EVERYTIME. Also Zeus calling Hera his wife>>>>
Want to read
May 2, 2022Hermes and Dionysus or Callisto and Perseus. PLEASE. ITS ALL I WANT 😭
February 7, 2023
Happy Release day!
Thanks to Dreamscape Media - who have changed their ARC acceptance emails for the better after I complained lol - and Netgalley for this advanced audiobook. Radiant Sin will be out just in time for Valentine's Day, and gets about 3.5 stars from me, rounded down.
Okay, so I approached this installment of Dark Olympus with minimal expectations and maybe thought it'd be better as an audiobook. Unfortunately that was wrong, but I did enjoy this one a bit more than books two and three.
Might as well jump into what I disliked: the continued lack of cohesive worldbuilding is so wild. I am trying to approach these books with no craft critique but it's really hard to turn my brain off and not grasp for some like, actual plot.
The attempt at a locked room, house party murder mystery vibe would've gone over better if there really was a mystery. The writing was also awfully repetitive and I think listening to the audiobook enunciated this - every time someone's horny brain "shorted out" or Apollo and Cassandra hissed at each other to be quiet or they'd be caught, I was just super conscious of the repetition. Lastly, this was atrocious as an audiobook, because of the male POV for Apollo. I'm sorry but the guy's voice was a nasal British accent, not sexy at all, and was ruining Apollo for me, who otherwise is my favorite of the Thirteen so far.
That brings me to what I enjoyed - Apollo, notwithstanding his bad audio portrayal! He's a tall, half-Korean hunk in this, and one of the nicest of the Thirteen despite his spymaster role. This diversity was what made me keep going with the series - it was so refreshing to have a caring and competent male lead after so many mediocre ones, besides Hades. People are complaining about the lower spice levels in this book, but it was fine for me, since Katee writes sex scenes with a lot of vocabulary I don't particularly love. Instead, there were several instances of sexy situational proximity, a favorite trope of mine, and Apollo absolutely simps for Cassandra, who as a plus-size character was handled really well, I thought. The man's lines are nonstop appreciation and praise for her, and the part where Apollo was rueing the fact Cassandra shut a door and he couldn't watch her blowdry her hair was adorable! The quiet intimacy!
So what I enjoyed and didn't kind of balanced out in this book, at least. I think some big world-rocking business went down at the end of this book, but again, trying to grasp the threads of whatever's happening with Olympus as a weird city-state maybe-magical realm was like trying to grasp a cloud. Any actual goings-on besides the romantic plots are none of my business, LMAO, as far as I'm concerned moving forward in the series.
Thanks to Dreamscape Media - who have changed their ARC acceptance emails for the better after I complained lol - and Netgalley for this advanced audiobook. Radiant Sin will be out just in time for Valentine's Day, and gets about 3.5 stars from me, rounded down.
Okay, so I approached this installment of Dark Olympus with minimal expectations and maybe thought it'd be better as an audiobook. Unfortunately that was wrong, but I did enjoy this one a bit more than books two and three.
Might as well jump into what I disliked: the continued lack of cohesive worldbuilding is so wild. I am trying to approach these books with no craft critique but it's really hard to turn my brain off and not grasp for some like, actual plot.
The attempt at a locked room, house party murder mystery vibe would've gone over better if there really was a mystery. The writing was also awfully repetitive and I think listening to the audiobook enunciated this - every time someone's horny brain "shorted out" or Apollo and Cassandra hissed at each other to be quiet or they'd be caught, I was just super conscious of the repetition. Lastly, this was atrocious as an audiobook, because of the male POV for Apollo. I'm sorry but the guy's voice was a nasal British accent, not sexy at all, and was ruining Apollo for me, who otherwise is my favorite of the Thirteen so far.
That brings me to what I enjoyed - Apollo, notwithstanding his bad audio portrayal! He's a tall, half-Korean hunk in this, and one of the nicest of the Thirteen despite his spymaster role. This diversity was what made me keep going with the series - it was so refreshing to have a caring and competent male lead after so many mediocre ones, besides Hades. People are complaining about the lower spice levels in this book, but it was fine for me, since Katee writes sex scenes with a lot of vocabulary I don't particularly love. Instead, there were several instances of sexy situational proximity, a favorite trope of mine, and Apollo absolutely simps for Cassandra, who as a plus-size character was handled really well, I thought. The man's lines are nonstop appreciation and praise for her, and the part where Apollo was rueing the fact Cassandra shut a door and he couldn't watch her blowdry her hair was adorable! The quiet intimacy!
So what I enjoyed and didn't kind of balanced out in this book, at least. I think some big world-rocking business went down at the end of this book, but again, trying to grasp the threads of whatever's happening with Olympus as a weird city-state maybe-magical realm was like trying to grasp a cloud. Any actual goings-on besides the romantic plots are none of my business, LMAO, as far as I'm concerned moving forward in the series.
Read
April 25, 2022Zeus and Callisto pleaseeee
i also want hermes and Dionysus and the other sister E something
six book series Katee?
i also want hermes and Dionysus and the other sister E something
six book series Katee?
January 13, 2024
the small fake dating plot….. can katee roberts calm tf down like literally every book in this series has done fake dating one way or another.
February 9, 2023
3.5 ⭐️ Apollo and Cassandra’s story.
This is the fourth instalment in the Dark Olympus series, and it’s very much in tune with the rest of the series. Its spicy scenes are hot, with some k!nk thrown in there for extra fun, and the machinations and back-stabbing are at an all time high.
Apollo, as part of the Thirteen, has a very prominent and high profile life. Cassandra however, as his personal assistant, exists both close and completely removed from this life. Her parents were both murdered by the Thirteen after trying and failing to claim one the titles by right of might. Now, all that Cassandra wants is to make enough money to get herself and her sister safely out of Olympus. So, when the new Zeus offers her more money than she could possibly make for herself to spend a week pretending to be her boss’s girlfriend, she really can’t say no.
For the most part this book followed the structure most Katee Robert books do, and it’s one that I thoroughly enjoy so there’s no complaints there. What I will say it’s that this was just as bothersome and clanky as the last book. Wicked Beauty, much like Radiant Sin, was hot and cute at times, but when it came time to mind the overall plot -the one regarding the city and that’s supposed to tie all the books together- I found myself more and more disinterested with each chapter that went by. I understand the whole secrecy and conspiring, since it’s important to keep the world-building consistent, but I really don’t get where we’re going with any of it. It’s getting confusing, and too convoluted with no real answers for books at a time. What’s wrong with the city barrier? Why is it failing? How is it that no one is actively freaking out when there’s no answers? This was Apollo’s book, and since he’s the keeper of secrets, we truly should have gotten some more answers.
Overall, it was entertaining enough, but I don’t think it’s up to scale with Neon Gods (#1) or Electric Idol (#2). I really hope we start to get answers soon.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / 5
🌶️🌶️.5 / 5
_________________________
*I've only gotten my hands on the first five chapters thanks to Net Galley. I will do a more in depth review once I read the whole book*
What a little tease! These first five chapters went by so quick!
I really can’t wait to read the rest of Cassandra and Apollo’s story. I’ve read every single Dark Olympus book prior to this one, and I’ve been excited about a new book coming out soon.
The main tags I would use to describe this romance book are Greek gods re-imagined, mutual pining and forced proximity – which in my opinion is a recipe for delicious, wonderfully angsty romances.
February can’t come fast enough!
This is the fourth instalment in the Dark Olympus series, and it’s very much in tune with the rest of the series. Its spicy scenes are hot, with some k!nk thrown in there for extra fun, and the machinations and back-stabbing are at an all time high.
Apollo, as part of the Thirteen, has a very prominent and high profile life. Cassandra however, as his personal assistant, exists both close and completely removed from this life. Her parents were both murdered by the Thirteen after trying and failing to claim one the titles by right of might. Now, all that Cassandra wants is to make enough money to get herself and her sister safely out of Olympus. So, when the new Zeus offers her more money than she could possibly make for herself to spend a week pretending to be her boss’s girlfriend, she really can’t say no.
For the most part this book followed the structure most Katee Robert books do, and it’s one that I thoroughly enjoy so there’s no complaints there. What I will say it’s that this was just as bothersome and clanky as the last book. Wicked Beauty, much like Radiant Sin, was hot and cute at times, but when it came time to mind the overall plot -the one regarding the city and that’s supposed to tie all the books together- I found myself more and more disinterested with each chapter that went by. I understand the whole secrecy and conspiring, since it’s important to keep the world-building consistent, but I really don’t get where we’re going with any of it. It’s getting confusing, and too convoluted with no real answers for books at a time. What’s wrong with the city barrier? Why is it failing? How is it that no one is actively freaking out when there’s no answers? This was Apollo’s book, and since he’s the keeper of secrets, we truly should have gotten some more answers.
Overall, it was entertaining enough, but I don’t think it’s up to scale with Neon Gods (#1) or Electric Idol (#2). I really hope we start to get answers soon.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / 5
🌶️🌶️.5 / 5
_________________________
*I've only gotten my hands on the first five chapters thanks to Net Galley. I will do a more in depth review once I read the whole book*
What a little tease! These first five chapters went by so quick!
I really can’t wait to read the rest of Cassandra and Apollo’s story. I’ve read every single Dark Olympus book prior to this one, and I’ve been excited about a new book coming out soon.
The main tags I would use to describe this romance book are Greek gods re-imagined, mutual pining and forced proximity – which in my opinion is a recipe for delicious, wonderfully angsty romances.
February can’t come fast enough!
June 14, 2023
it's simply inhumane that i have to wait for the next book in this series.
May 18, 2023
This was just so good each book gets better and the overall plot is getting so good
January 28, 2023
Had a great time with this one! I really loved the overall plot that is being moved forward with this one. I actually gasped out loud a few times and was shocked with where we were at the end. I immediately went to look up the release date for book 5 and I can't wait to see what will happen there.
Apollo and Cassandra were just delightful. They both are under a lot of stress with their personal lives and with the city drama as a whole. I loved how they are pushed into fake dating by Zeus but really they both hate that they want it so bad. They've worked together all these years and had to deny their feelings. Apollo is such a simp for Cassandra and I was here for it!
I do wish I had gotten a bit more of them actually together and a few more steamy scenes which were limited due to our truncated timeline in this one.
But overall I enjoyed this entry very much and seeing so much of the politics and maneuverings of those in power was intriguing. I will be eagerly awaiting the next entry.
4 stars
3 on the spice scale
I received an audio from Netgalley and an eARC from edelweiss.
Apollo and Cassandra were just delightful. They both are under a lot of stress with their personal lives and with the city drama as a whole. I loved how they are pushed into fake dating by Zeus but really they both hate that they want it so bad. They've worked together all these years and had to deny their feelings. Apollo is such a simp for Cassandra and I was here for it!
I do wish I had gotten a bit more of them actually together and a few more steamy scenes which were limited due to our truncated timeline in this one.
But overall I enjoyed this entry very much and seeing so much of the politics and maneuverings of those in power was intriguing. I will be eagerly awaiting the next entry.
4 stars
3 on the spice scale
I received an audio from Netgalley and an eARC from edelweiss.
Shelved as 'wishlist'
December 19, 2022Very excited to read this but also wondering how true it stays to the original story because Apollo was a huuuuuge douche to Cassandra xD
February 27, 2023
4.5 stars
Gods, I love this woman. The way Katee Robert has written this entire series blows my mind. I always get so into the story to the point where I can’t put the book down!!! This was the perfect next addition to the Dark Olympus series.
The story gave me clue vibes because of the mystery aspect AND BOY OH BOY WAS I OBSESSED WITH CASSANDRA & APOLLO. They. Are. Perfect.
Apollo is so different from the other male main characters of the series & I loved everything about him!!! We gotta appreciate a workplace romance with mutual pinning that has been ongoing for years!! Cassandra is a mean, grouchy little thing with the biggest heart and would do anything for those she loves. The fact that Cassandra works for Apollo, & they both have had mutual pining for yearrrrrrs makes it that much better.
Okay I’m already ready for the next one!!!
Tropes:
Workplace romance
Employee/Boss
Fake dating
Forced proximity
Gods, I love this woman. The way Katee Robert has written this entire series blows my mind. I always get so into the story to the point where I can’t put the book down!!! This was the perfect next addition to the Dark Olympus series.
The story gave me clue vibes because of the mystery aspect AND BOY OH BOY WAS I OBSESSED WITH CASSANDRA & APOLLO. They. Are. Perfect.
Apollo is so different from the other male main characters of the series & I loved everything about him!!! We gotta appreciate a workplace romance with mutual pinning that has been ongoing for years!! Cassandra is a mean, grouchy little thing with the biggest heart and would do anything for those she loves. The fact that Cassandra works for Apollo, & they both have had mutual pining for yearrrrrrs makes it that much better.
Okay I’m already ready for the next one!!!
Tropes:
Workplace romance
Employee/Boss
Fake dating
Forced proximity
April 27, 2023
Greek Mythology, romance, and a game of clue are thrown together in this vivid novel! This is book 4 in Roberts' Dark Olympus series but these can be read out of order or as a single novel. Apollo, the God of....everything has been invited to a week-long party with the fellow Gods of the Thirteen. Bringing along Cassandra, his stubborn and lovely employee as his plus one, things start going awry and someone is out for blood. This is a steamy romance novel so be advised! -Alyssa C.
Find a copy at Scottsdale Public Library
Find a copy at Scottsdale Public Library
July 10, 2023
I really liked this installment. The larger plot is ramping up and I am very invested in finding out what's going on. We get teased with more info on Hermes because she's one of Cassandra's exes, but I'm anxious to know more. Katee deftly manages the tricky power dynamics of this employer/employee relationship, and I'm here for the killer house party plot! I liked the romance pretty well, but it wraps up really abruptly. Which I'm guessing is in service to the larger plot.
February 4, 2023
Katee my queen never fails me. I had so much fun with this! Fake Dating & Forced Proximity?!?!?! THE BEST! This story of Apollo & Cassandra was hot; hot, hot & I really liked it. It was a very solid entry in this series I just adore so much. If you love Katee & this world you will adore this!
*thank you sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC copy to review
*thank you sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC copy to review
Read
February 19, 2023DNF 76% - I am just 0% invested in the actual plot of this book. In the last dark Olympus book, Wicked Beauty, the spice was hot, but the plot also had me in a chokehold. I needed to know who would come out the victor in the end. In Radiant Sin, the spice is hot once it starts and while the plot has all the things that SHOULD intrigue me, the dialogue surrounding it is just the same thing over and over which has left me annoyed and lacking interest. “Why is he here? Why are we here? What is his plan? Things aren’t what they seem!” And repeat. I found myself 20% back wishing they’d just get to some type of answers, and now I’m at 76% and I couldn’t be bothered to finish this one. Plus if I heard the word condom one more time I was going to scream. We got it. They are using condoms. The voice actors are incredible and I think anyone who enjoys a mystery where it goes in circles quite a bit will enjoy this one. I’m giving up because if I finish it I’ll rate it and I don’t think my rating would be great.
July 18, 2023
5 Stars on the Spicy Foreplay and the use of Shibari; actual steamy sex was ok, but not spectacular.
The mythological connection was mostly subpar. There was a severe lack of tying Apollo and Cassandra into the mythological characters they embody, and I love that about this series. Disappointing for me.
The new wrench thrown into the shit show that is the political structure of Dark Atlantis was great.
The ending was a bit weak.
Still thoroughly enjoyable. I will keep reading all of this series that Katee Roberts writes.
4 Stars.
The mythological connection was mostly subpar. There was a severe lack of tying Apollo and Cassandra into the mythological characters they embody, and I love that about this series. Disappointing for me.
The new wrench thrown into the shit show that is the political structure of Dark Atlantis was great.
The ending was a bit weak.
Still thoroughly enjoyable. I will keep reading all of this series that Katee Roberts writes.
4 Stars.
February 17, 2024
Loved this!! Such a good mystery and great characters. Curvy rep, amazing spice like only Robert can. Love where this series is going.
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