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thewordyhabitat's review
3.0
This simply wasn't my book. I liked the overall plot with the danger etc. but the kink was not for me so I couldn't enjoy a lot of the book. Also I didn't like the way the relationship developed in the beginning. Felt fast. I just prefer slow development.
kimberlyyyreads's review against another edition
The writing style wasn’t my favorite
nic55's review
5.0
4.5 stars
3rd book for #TransRightsReadathon andddd I'm obsessed.
This was such a pleasant surprise! Disabled, demi Hephaestus & Black trans Aphrodite with bodyguard trope, believable hate to love romance, an interesting spin on Greek myth retelling, an action filled subplot...I was hooked. Loved how Hephaestus was competency porn™ with some interesting layers of insecurity due to his family history. Aphrodite didn't go full sunshine to his grump, which I appreciated, and was generally grounded/capable while also being optimistic/caring. I'm a romantic suspense girlie so I really appreciated the genuine danger and the strategizing in the thriller plot. Loved the contemporary/fantasy blend, all the diversity, the fast pace, how strong the side characters/family dynamics were. Just such a good time all around.
I do think this was a touch too long. Can't say I ever got truly bored but it felt a bit bloated. Also while I mostly enjoyed the sex scenes, they were a tad repetitive. I'm a hard sell on Daddy kink and while it didn't bother me, it also wasn't doing much for me after a certain point. (also, I selfishly wish there had been some "Hephaestus actively building things" scenes instead of just showing what he's already done).
Soooo clearly I need to go back and read the first book in this series....and also a bunch of other books by R.M. Virtues.
3rd book for #TransRightsReadathon andddd I'm obsessed.
This was such a pleasant surprise! Disabled, demi Hephaestus & Black trans Aphrodite with bodyguard trope, believable hate to love romance, an interesting spin on Greek myth retelling, an action filled subplot...I was hooked. Loved how Hephaestus was competency porn™ with some interesting layers of insecurity due to his family history. Aphrodite didn't go full sunshine to his grump, which I appreciated, and was generally grounded/capable while also being optimistic/caring. I'm a romantic suspense girlie so I really appreciated the genuine danger and the strategizing in the thriller plot. Loved the contemporary/fantasy blend, all the diversity, the fast pace, how strong the side characters/family dynamics were. Just such a good time all around.
I do think this was a touch too long. Can't say I ever got truly bored but it felt a bit bloated. Also while I mostly enjoyed the sex scenes, they were a tad repetitive. I'm a hard sell on Daddy kink and while it didn't bother me, it also wasn't doing much for me after a certain point. (also, I selfishly wish there had been some "Hephaestus actively building things" scenes instead of just showing what he's already done).
Soooo clearly I need to go back and read the first book in this series....and also a bunch of other books by R.M. Virtues.
caiacassiopeia's review
Idk what’s up but I tried Drag me up and dnf’d it and after someone told me the second book would be much better I gave it a try.
The world building is still all over the place, you have to know what happened in book1 to follow some conversations. There is a greek-god-name dropping going on and I think this story would benefit if there were less characters involved.
Around 18% I can’t say anything about the romance
The world building is still all over the place, you have to know what happened in book1 to follow some conversations. There is a greek-god-name dropping going on and I think this story would benefit if there were less characters involved.
Around 18% I can’t say anything about the romance
brii_brii's review
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
jj7twin's review
5.0
Very hot enemies to lovers
Going into this story and knowing the basics for the mythology I was nervous about how their relationship would present itself, especially where Ares was concerned. I did not want Aphrodite to do Hephaetus wrong or to have them have an understanding about her fidelity. I wanted them to be a solo monogamous pair and that is what we get. Love scenes are very hot with a Daddy element to them. The bickering between them could certainly be considered foreplay and glad things were resolved on the bigger scale by the end of the book.
Going into this story and knowing the basics for the mythology I was nervous about how their relationship would present itself, especially where Ares was concerned. I did not want Aphrodite to do Hephaetus wrong or to have them have an understanding about her fidelity. I wanted them to be a solo monogamous pair and that is what we get. Love scenes are very hot with a Daddy element to them. The bickering between them could certainly be considered foreplay and glad things were resolved on the bigger scale by the end of the book.
fictionmajorette's review
4.0
https://fictionmajorette.blogspot.com/2023/07/june-romance-wrap-up-queer-books.html
I love this series and the whole Gods of Hunger world that Virtues built in these books. Greek mythology has never been something I've been particularly invested in, so I don't have the background knowledge that some readers would. It feels like Virtues doesn't rely on the reader to have that knowledge so the characters and world are fully developed. The tension between Aphrodite and Hephaestus was impeccable and when that tension finally cracked it was absolutely on fire. The romantic suspense element didn't quite hit for me because it did drag a bit in the first 1/3. The book opens with a bang, but then it felt like the mystery/suspense elements were just treading water for a while. It picked back up around the 1/2 way point, and I really enjoyed the way it all came together at the end.
I love this series and the whole Gods of Hunger world that Virtues built in these books. Greek mythology has never been something I've been particularly invested in, so I don't have the background knowledge that some readers would. It feels like Virtues doesn't rely on the reader to have that knowledge so the characters and world are fully developed. The tension between Aphrodite and Hephaestus was impeccable and when that tension finally cracked it was absolutely on fire. The romantic suspense element didn't quite hit for me because it did drag a bit in the first 1/3. The book opens with a bang, but then it felt like the mystery/suspense elements were just treading water for a while. It picked back up around the 1/2 way point, and I really enjoyed the way it all came together at the end.
discarded_dust_jacket's review
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
First off: I really like R.M. Virtues and I think he’s a very talented writer. I think this book is really strong in a number of areas. I loveddddd Hephaestus’ character especially, and his and Aphrodite’s relationship was what kept me pushing.
The bodyguard romance trope is one of my personal favorites, and the disability representation here is top notch. Heph’s condition is never handled like a weakness or a flaw, but simply a part of who he is, and it’s also not glossed over. It’s addressed with the appropriate neutrality.
I also really liked the plot arc that revolved around Heph’s family and his place in it. That tugged at my heart something fierce.
The reason I struggled with this book was more a matter of personal taste and pacing. I have a tough time pushing through super action-packed stories unless I’m already thoroughly invested in the characters, and this book drops us right in the action from the very first page. I’d say the entire first half of this book is mostly a crime drama heavy on the investigations, interrogations, security sweeps, stakeouts, shootouts, etc. The emotional/romantic aspect of the plot between the main characters doesn’t really feel like it becomes a driving part of the story until the midway mark, and that made it hard for me to want to push through all the action since I didn’t really care about the characters yet, does that make sense?
But like, I also get that it’s supposed to be enemies-to-lovers (or something like it) so I understand that the relationship has to take time to evolve. It’s more like, my issue was that the relationship felt kind of sidelined or stunted in the first half.
But speaking of characters, there’s soooooooo many. Even though I read the first book in this series, I still had a lot of trouble keeping all the characters straight—who’s related to who, how old they’re supposed to be, etc. It might be easier if you already have a lot of background knowledge of Greek mythology for context, but mine is limited to only very basic stuff, so I was lost.
I really really wanted to like this book more than I did, especially with how much I loved the main characters. I’m still gonna keep reading books in this series, I just think I was a bit disappointed by this one, and that’s ok!
The bodyguard romance trope is one of my personal favorites, and the disability representation here is top notch. Heph’s condition is never handled like a weakness or a flaw, but simply a part of who he is, and it’s also not glossed over. It’s addressed with the appropriate neutrality.
I also really liked the plot arc that revolved around Heph’s family and his place in it. That tugged at my heart something fierce.
The reason I struggled with this book was more a matter of personal taste and pacing. I have a tough time pushing through super action-packed stories unless I’m already thoroughly invested in the characters, and this book drops us right in the action from the very first page. I’d say the entire first half of this book is mostly a crime drama heavy on the investigations, interrogations, security sweeps, stakeouts, shootouts, etc. The emotional/romantic aspect of the plot between the main characters doesn’t really feel like it becomes a driving part of the story until the midway mark, and that made it hard for me to want to push through all the action since I didn’t really care about the characters yet, does that make sense?
But like, I also get that it’s supposed to be enemies-to-lovers (or something like it) so I understand that the relationship has to take time to evolve. It’s more like, my issue was that the relationship felt kind of sidelined or stunted in the first half.
But speaking of characters, there’s soooooooo many. Even though I read the first book in this series, I still had a lot of trouble keeping all the characters straight—who’s related to who, how old they’re supposed to be, etc. It might be easier if you already have a lot of background knowledge of Greek mythology for context, but mine is limited to only very basic stuff, so I was lost.
I really really wanted to like this book more than I did, especially with how much I loved the main characters. I’m still gonna keep reading books in this series, I just think I was a bit disappointed by this one, and that’s ok!
andreatorres's review
5.0
4.5 ⭐️
I'M SO IN LOVE WITH THIS SERIES
Took me longer than normal to read (life stuff, not because I didn’t love it) – I didn’t want to put it down, but I only had time to read 3-5 chapters at a time – feels a little like I made this book (and myself) a disservice. This book is binge-read worthy, and I look forward to re-reading it at a time where I know I won’t be as real-life stressed as I was these last few days.
Still, I'm in love with these characters. Aphrodite is the manager of the Pleasure District in Khaos Falls, and as such she is the most badass and baddest bitch around, and she knows it. She works tirelessly to provide a safe environment for sex workers, as well as rescuing and providing shelter and care to human trafficking victims. She is a wrench in the works of exploitative traffickers, and we open this book when someone puts a hit on her, and an assassin tries to kill her in her own club. Enter Hephaestus, recently promoted head of security for all of Khaos Falls, and although Aphrodite is far from his favorite person, he's tasked to guard her and keep her safe whilst investigating the threat on her life and finding out how such blatant security issue could have been possible in the first place. A series of spinning betrayals, a hot-as-all-hell steamy enemies to lovers relationship (the kinks in this book should be illegal, they’re THAT good - hate sex included!), complicated family dynamics and disenchanted fairytales are just some of the amazing things you will find if you pick up this book.
My only complaint, which is more of a wish really - I wish we would have had a scene with Hephaestus working as a blacksmith. I understand that he has bigger responsibilities since he’s now part of Khaos Falls political structure but reading the part where he distracts himself by cleaning his weapons made me realize that we hadn’t really seen him in that comfort bubble, even though it’s mentioned often in the book. Blacksmith Hephaestus is hot, I want more.
That being said, I am very much aware that this is me being extremely nit-picky, and that is because this series is blowing my mind, blowing it out of the park, doing a homerun, a touchdown, a slam dunk and every other sports metaphors that I do not understand, but know they mean you're just straight up killing it. And these books really are – killing it, finding it, loving it, steaming it… they are doing the most and I can’t wait for more.
After reading the first book in this series, I already knew I had found a new favorite author, but this really settled it for me. I went on and on about it on my review of Drag Me Up, but the representation and diversity imbedded right into the world building in this series is so fucking beautiful it makes me ache and longingly sigh like an old Victorian maiden, but Fates be dammed , I want to live right there amongst these characters. It’s just sad that the thing that makes me dreamily sigh the most in this book is the acceptance it shows to its characters - regardless of color, gender identity, sexual orientation, disabilities, or any ‘otherness’ that our world has, unfortunately, managed to convince us that we are unable and unworthy of love, affection, care and even being the fucking main-character in our own stories! I will forever be grateful for books like this.
I don’t have a conclusion for this review because my conclusion would be to read it again and again until I can get my hands on the next one – It’s Dionysos and Athena and I cannot tell you how excited I am!
4.5/5 ⭐️
I'M SO IN LOVE WITH THIS SERIES
Took me longer than normal to read (life stuff, not because I didn’t love it) – I didn’t want to put it down, but I only had time to read 3-5 chapters at a time – feels a little like I made this book (and myself) a disservice. This book is binge-read worthy, and I look forward to re-reading it at a time where I know I won’t be as real-life stressed as I was these last few days.
Still, I'm in love with these characters. Aphrodite is the manager of the Pleasure District in Khaos Falls, and as such she is the most badass and baddest bitch around, and she knows it. She works tirelessly to provide a safe environment for sex workers, as well as rescuing and providing shelter and care to human trafficking victims. She is a wrench in the works of exploitative traffickers, and we open this book when someone puts a hit on her, and an assassin tries to kill her in her own club. Enter Hephaestus, recently promoted head of security for all of Khaos Falls, and although Aphrodite is far from his favorite person, he's tasked to guard her and keep her safe whilst investigating the threat on her life and finding out how such blatant security issue could have been possible in the first place. A series of spinning betrayals, a hot-as-all-hell steamy enemies to lovers relationship (the kinks in this book should be illegal, they’re THAT good - hate sex included!), complicated family dynamics and disenchanted fairytales are just some of the amazing things you will find if you pick up this book.
My only complaint, which is more of a wish really - I wish we would have had a scene with Hephaestus working as a blacksmith. I understand that he has bigger responsibilities since he’s now part of Khaos Falls political structure but reading the part where he distracts himself
Spoiler
in the boat on their way to get PerseusThat being said, I am very much aware that this is me being extremely nit-picky, and that is because this series is blowing my mind, blowing it out of the park, doing a homerun, a touchdown, a slam dunk and every other sports metaphors that I do not understand, but know they mean you're just straight up killing it. And these books really are – killing it, finding it, loving it, steaming it… they are doing the most and I can’t wait for more.
After reading the first book in this series, I already knew I had found a new favorite author, but this really settled it for me. I went on and on about it on my review of Drag Me Up, but the representation and diversity imbedded right into the world building in this series is so fucking beautiful it makes me ache and longingly sigh like an old Victorian maiden, but Fates be dammed , I want to live right there amongst these characters. It’s just sad that the thing that makes me dreamily sigh the most in this book is the acceptance it shows to its characters - regardless of color, gender identity, sexual orientation, disabilities, or any ‘otherness’ that our world has, unfortunately, managed to convince us that we are unable and unworthy of love, affection, care and even being the fucking main-character in our own stories! I will forever be grateful for books like this.
I don’t have a conclusion for this review because my conclusion would be to read it again and again until I can get my hands on the next one – It’s Dionysos and Athena and I cannot tell you how excited I am!
4.5/5 ⭐️