Eros e Psique - Deuses de Néon

Dark Olympus #2

by Katee Robert

Na ultramoderna cidade de Olimpo, há sempre um preço a pagar. Psique Dimitriou sabe que, um dia, terá de enfrentar a ira de Afrodite, mas não esperava que o seu coração estivesse literalmente em jogo... nem que Eros Ambrósia, o magnífico filho de Afrodite, recebesse ordem para desferir o golpe fatal.

Eros não tem dificuldade em derramar sangue. No entanto, quando chega o momento de eliminar o seu último alvo, não consegue. Confuso com a sua reação a Psique, faz a única coisa que pode para a proteger - casa com ela. Psique jura tornar a vida de Eros um inferno até encontrarem forma de se separarem. Mas à medida que as linhas se confundem e as lealdades mudam, ela percebe que, afinal, ele pode roubar-lhe o coração. E não sabe se conseguirá sobreviver a essa perda.

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Mythology, Dark Romance, Audiobook, Retellings, Greek Mythology

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 18, 2022

About the author

Katee 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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Reviews

[Ayman · Rating 4 out of 5]

katee robert deserves to get her ass ATE for this…

shit where do i start? i fucking loved this book! i was constantly back and forth with who i was the most attracted to. Psyche or Eros? i can’t pick, i love them both.

katee really nailed the “i have to kill you so let’s get married”it’s safe to say that katee put her whole thrussy into this and more. i can’t wait to read more from the dark Olympus series

the smut…if there’s anything i trust katee can do, it is that i trust her to write the most glopping glooping smut there is and that’s exactly what she gave us. home girl delivered. i was constantly using the pink and red tabs to bookmark those special scenes and i ran out?!?!? had to go to the store to get some more because god damn.

i especially appreciate katee robert for keeping her cast of characters diverse. psyche being a plus size queen? babes i love you already. Oh and the crossover episodes with Hades and Persephone?!? omfg i was cheeking, i love when authors do that.

the only critique i really have for this book was that it was kinda repetitive like we didn’t need Eros mentioning he thinks he’s a monster every 50 pages but oh well

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness! Dark Olympus series is getting so much hotter at each book! When I read the first book, I couldn’t put it down the stimulating, blasting, sexy, fiery story of Persephone and Hades! I thought the second book may not satisfy my expectations but now I’m taking my words back because Psych and Eros’ palpable chemistry ten times more explosive than dynamites!

A killer, cruel, vicious hero who is fated to become his mother’s right hand that holds the dagger to finish the massacres and a ultra smart, curvy, cunning, strategist, influencer, practical heroine agree for fake marriage unless poor heroine want her heart ripped out by cold blooded hero who obeys his mother Aphrodite’s wishes!

We return back to ultra modern version of Olympus to continue the story where it’s left, focusing on Psyche who is forced to marry with Zeus unwillingly for being next Hera!

The last party she attends ends with being busted by paparazzis when she leaves the restrooms accompanied by notorious Eros. Actually she doesn’t have any bad intention to stuck in this place with her mother Demeter’s archenemy Aphrodite’s killer son! But when she sees him hurt, covered in blood, only thing she wants is patching him up. Of course being in the vicinity of his killer body makes her cough! This man is smoking hot! And she’s not immune to his seductive manners.

But she’s caught by the press. Aphrodite’s solution to fix their tarnished reputation is killing Psyche. Correction: ordering Eros to kill her!

But Eros cannot finish the job for the first time. He wants to possess this smart, tempting, cunning beauty! He’s gonna make her his by asking her to marry him. If they get marry sooner he can provide his full protection.

Psyche has no other choice: she doesn’t only think her own life, she also thinks her sisters’ well beings because Aphrodite can strike against them to avenge their mother.

But as you may imagine, the mutual attraction, flying sparks put their bed on fire! They’re created for each other! The steamy scenes between them are smoking hot!

I loved their story more! Especially the final chapters about political maneuvers and balances, power games in Olympus are perfectly depicted.

I enjoyed to read about a heroine who is not only pretty face but also carries an ultra big brain to survive at the political jungle by forming intelligent strategies.

I think the third book will be about Callisto and Zeus! From the beginning of the series: Callisto picked my interest as fiery, bold, unique character reminded me of Katherina character from Shakespeare’s “ Taming of shrew”
Those books are growing on me! I cannot wait to read the next one!

I gave Persephone and Hades’ story five stars.
If I had a chance, I would give Psyche and Eros’ story to five and half stars! It’s so hooking, engaging, tempting, hot, irresistible!

I highly recommend it to the genre lovers! It’s freaking AMAZING!

Special thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

[Cait Jacobs (Caitsbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished this book in one day, it was so addictive.

Electric Idol takes place in the same world as Neon Gods, this time following Persephone's sister Psyche, and Aphrodite's son Eros. I have always been a fan of the myth of Eros and Psyche, so I was excited to see Katee Robert's interpretation, and I ended up really loving it.

The characters are perhaps my favorite part. Psyche is a plus-sized social media influencer, who understands how to play Olympus's power games while still remaining a good person in her heart. Eros is Aphrodite's fixer, forced to do her dirty work, and believes himself to be a monster. Their dynamic was so fun to read. They begin as enemies, forced into a marriage of convenience, and I loved watching them fall for each other.

The world-building is slightly expanded on from Neon Gods, but it's still fairly vague. That said, it wasn't vague enough to bother .me. I understood everything I needed to for the plot. The plot itself is fast-paced, with action and political intrigue mixed into the romance. There were some points where I felt we moved a little too fast, especially towards the end, but it didn't take away too much from those scenes.

In the end, Electric Idol is an incredibly fun read, perfect for fans of romance and Greek mythology. I can't wait for the next book in this series!

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an eARC to review!

[jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

an interesting spin on the story of psyche and eros. obviously, a lot of liberties are taken with the myth so that it fits into KRs world of dark olympus.

again, i think the world-building is what makes this series so interesting. the fact that the gods (zeus, demeter, aphrodite, etc) arent actually gods, but titles/positions, to be filled by members of higher society in the modern city of olympus, is really cool and makes for interesting power dynamics.

and while i did enjoy reading about different characters in this world, the writing wasnt my favourite. i didnt have an issue with it in ‘neon gods,’ so im not sure why i didnt like it in this sequel. but the writing reads like a bad fan fiction of her own book.

however, i think if you liked the first book, you will definitely want to pick this up as its basically more of the same.

thanks sourcebooks casablanca for the ARC!

↠ 3.5 stars

[chan ☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

the narrators pronouncing Eros as ee-ross was something i never grew accustomed to.

this was marginally better than the first book in this series. but i'm just not sure if this author really excels at full length novels. the plot lines are always pretty mediocre and the characterization always feels a little one note. the sexual chemistry/attraction here was good and believable but i like at least a Hint Water's amount of emotion in my romances.

if you enjoy retellings and you like smut, you'll probably be happy with this book/series. it was just really forgettable for me.

[aly ☆彡 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is almost a five stars read for me and it's definitely better than the last one. However, there were few stuffs that could've been better.

Proper RTC.

[Alexis Hall]

**book received from NG**

I think I liked Electric Idol more than I did Neon Gods. That is, I think it’s more consistent throughout while lacking some of the highs of the first book (that throne scene, right?). Also I think the marriage of Eros and Psyche is a bit less iconic than Hades and Persephone myth-wise—or at least it is for me—so the story felt a touch less resonant in general. On other hand, KR brings her usual awareness of consent, agency, social and sexual power dynamics to the material so … err … there’s no allegories for sinful lust here or locking women up in adamantine chains (or, at least, I feel if women were locked up in adamantine chains in a KR book it would be because they were up for it).

As I mentioned in my review of Neon Gods, I struggled a bit with the world-building in that book: not because it was flimsy but because it was both flimsy AND TOO MUCH. I’m glad to say that it felt like there was less work to do in that regard now the setting had been established, although the background intriguing continues to be the least interesting aspect of this series. It’s just distracting, compared to the complexities of the character dynamics—and tends to drag the pacing down.

Anyway: the deal here is that Eros is his mother’s hitman and fixer and general on-call monster. After he’s caught on camera with Psyche (despite there being nothing between them), Aphrodite commands him to literally murder her. Except Eros, troubled by either his conscience or his genitals, can’t bring himself to do it and ends up marrying Psyche instead, in the hope this will keep her safe from his mother.

There’s a lot about this to make me squeeful. I do love me a marriage of convenience. And, despite how problematic a trope it is, a hero who believes he’s a monster. And I found I had a better sense of who Psyche was compared to Persephone. I’m always here for a fat heroine (I’m using the word fat in the descriptive, rather than pejorative sense, and also because it’s the word the heroine uses for herself) and, much like Tink in A Worthy Opponent, I feel KR does a fantastic job of allowing Psyche to be confident in who she is while not pretending that deviating from conventional beauty standards is a walk in the park socially-speaking. There’s a really well observed moment where Psyche has just run off with Eros and he pulls the ol “worry not, I will buy you an entire new wardrobe” move that is so popular with romance heroes. Whereupon Psyche turns round and is like, that is literally not possible for someone shaped like me because finding clothes to fit my body is takes time and care. It’s also just nice to have a fat heroine and a conventionally attractive hero who is non-fetishistically just *gone* for her. Again, there’s shades of Tink and Hook here, but Eros and Psyche are very much their own people.

For all I really need to interrogate my love for “I am a monster for everyone but you”, I sincerely enjoyed Eros as a hero. I liked how damaged he is, and has been, by the violence in which he’s been forced to participate, and it was meltingly sweet how profoundly he reacts to Psyche’s acts of kindness and care-taking (themes that continue from the first book). The bonking is probably best characterised as rough vanilla—but I appreciated the focus on intimacy and intensity over throwing in kink for the heck of it. It felt right for these two characters, especially Eros, who above all craves closeness and connectedness.

All of which said, while I loved the characters and was swept along with them for at least the first half of the book, the wheels came off for me just a little at the 60% mark. This is when the intriguing comes back with a vengeance—with Aphrodite trying to flat out murder Psyche regardless of the political fallout, and the inclusion of a set of scenes that seemed to be primarily set up for the next book (of which I believe Helen is the heroine*), all of which just got in the way of Eros and Psyche working their way towards a recognition of mutual love. There’s some emotional conflict thrown in as well, with Eros thoroughly convinced he is undeserving, and Psyche scared for her heart: but while the former felt fully embedded in his character, the latter felt … less so? I mean, I have nothing but empathy for romance characters with wary hearts, who are afraid of having them broken, but on this occasion it felt like a delaying tactic rather than a natural obstacle towards a HEA. (Again, compare to Meg in Learn My Lesson whose emotionally damaged wariness is absolutely integral to her character from the moment she appears on page).

Plus, I think I was looking for … more? Less intrigue, more emosh, especially because Eros and Psyche are so amazing on page together. I appreciated that Psyche had both the courage and wherewithal to resolve the external “imma murder you now” conflict, without recourse to violence or ethical compromise. But I wish there’d been more of the relationship between Eros and Aphrodite: at the point the book opens, Eros basically knows she’s manipulating him, so he’s mostly just annoyed and frustrated, chafing against her control, and never feels truly vulnerable to her. Given how much emotional power she’s wielded over him over the course of his lifetime I guess I wanted to see him work through that more, even if just with Psyche (rather than ‘trying to murder his wife’ simply being the last straw in a succession of dick moves his mother has subjected him to). And I guess—in a book inspired by the Greek gods and the myths around them—it fits that Aphrodite is just a capricious, irrational prick who emotionally abuses her own son and is arbitrarily fatphobic. But … I don’t know. I don’t think a touch of nuance would have damaged her as a villain (especially because Demeter is ambitious, complex and seems to be treading this blade-thin line between loving her kids and using them).

Before I wrap this, I should mention that both Eros and Psyche are bisexual in the way that Hades and Persephone are bisexual in Neon Gods. And I continue to be ambivalent about it. Which is not to say (as I said last time) bisexuality only counts if you’re screwing every gender you can lay your hands on but I’m kind of noticing a trend, not just with this series, but in other romances, where characters who end up in m/f relationships are textually flagged as bisexual. And yet, how can I say this, the bisexuality doesn’t seem to *mean* anything or the shape the character in any way. At which point, it’s just a word on the page. And I don’t think this is true of KR, because many of her characters feel queer (well, feel queer to me but that’s just me, I’m not the queer pope) and are engaged in queer relationships, but I don’t think I like this trend in general. And I’m definitely not trying to gatekeep who gets to write bisexual characters, or how bisexual characters should be written: but it’s hard for me to feel represented by characters who are queer identified but for whom its nothing more than a socially progressive label that doesn’t seem to have anything to do with who they are or how they exist in the world. But again, who knows. Maybe for some people queerness is that simple. And, y’know what, if it is… I guess that’s cool.

Anyway, as ever my attempt to discuss a KR book has led me down various rabbit holes. I will say, that I’m continuing to find this series fascinating and I’m excited to see where it goes. I absolutely loved the relationship between Eros and Psyche, and the way KR consistently re-works guilty-pleasure romance tropes into entirely-guiltless-pleasures is a masterclass in the sexiness of agency, equality and consent between sexual and romantic partners. I will never not admire the fuck out of that.

* I rescind this objection. I have just heard the next book is Helen, Achilles and Patroclus. SET IT UP ALL YOU LIKE, KR.

[sil ♡ the book voyagers · Rating 5 out of 5]

i did it. i did it yallllll. yes, i did read electric idol and i LOOOOVED it.

eros is a feral cat who has never felt love and basically he does his mother's AKA aphrodite's dirty work all the time. then psyche is nice to him ONCE IN HIS LIFE and he now wants to marry her. he's like that feral cat who gets a bit of love and then never stops following you, that's eros. but then aphrodite wants eros to go and bring psyche's heart. HER REAL HEART. and instead, they get into a marriage of convenience.

i also really love when heroes know they don't deserve the heroine. like eros 10/10 is like "i will never deserve you" and im like so soft and emo every time he thinks that KATEE REALLY WENT FOR THE JUGULAR IN THIS BOOK.

when you marry the guy who has come to assassinate you ,,, SHE DID THAT.

[Melanie (meltotheany) · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley

➵ Neon Gods ★★

i enjoyed the second installment in this modern day, dark and gossip thriving, olympus romance series so much more than the first! i loved both psyche and eros so much and both of their stories were so compelling and so powerful together. i truly adored them both and their chemistry and dynamic from their very first impromptu meeting. and i really believe the author did an amazing job with the fake romance trope in this story! and i think this book really left the reader wanting the third book, which is always good thing!

both main characters are queer (pan or bi or no/all labels - no words used on page), psyche is fat and talks a lot about how society perceives her regardless of her loving her body, and i thought it was very well done. and there is a constant plot of parental manipulation and how that can impact a child who only wants to be loved, regardless of age.

trigger and content warnings: blood depictions, parental abuse and manipulation in past and present, grief depiction, brief mention of suicide, a shooting, themes of murder and death in the past, and violence in general.

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[Warda · Rating 4 out of 5]

As much as I am enjoying these modern, Greek myth retellings, they seem somewhat surface level when it comes to the world and the overall character arcs. They're not hindering my enjoyment of the story. I compulsively read them once I start and the audiobooks are great!

But I do wish we had more background and more story on these characters, more Greek myth and more on Olympus.

But we are here for the romance, and the romance between Eros and Psyche was sweet as fuck. She's plus-size, there's fake-dating, Eros is send to kill Psyche but proposes marriage instead, because that's logic. The dynamic between them was great and I was rooting for them.

But more would've been nice.

3.5 ⭐

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

In Neon Gods the world-building and plot is actually really weak, but it didn't actually bother me because I was super invested in Hades and Persephone.

I cannot say that about Eros and Psyche. They're literally like walking talking cardboard cutouts that were having sex. Absolutely zero personality beyond "I'm a monster" and "I'm a nice person who could love a monster" respectively.

Hoping the next Dark Olympus book will be better for me.

[Whitney Atkinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

i seem to have misplaced my ability to just enjoy things. i will be jumping out a window.

okay this book had its moments. IT HAD ITS MOMENTS. but i really cant stand the plot hole-ridden world building of this (JUST MAKE IT A RETELLING GODDAMN IT!!) and the cringy dialogue even though these are supposed to be gods and goddesses. it just felt silly for this book to have instagram drama in it even though it's literally about a goddess.

i liked eros and psyche, but fake dating/marriage is also just not a trope i care about nor think is realistic. points for having a plus size main character and some solid sex scenes but that's about it.

will i be reading the third one? absolutely. but i am now not afraid to start skimming over the plots of these just to get to the romance because i find the world pretty silly.

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Electric Idol by Katee Robert
2nd book in the Dark Olympus series. Paranormal romance. Can be read as a stand-alone. High heat level.
Psyche and Eros. They’ve know each other for years of society parties. Never really getting close, but aware of the other’s presence. After getting caught by the press in a rather innocent but compromising photo, they create an illusion to save her life. The 13 rule the world and Psyche and Eros will do what they must to survive. Good thing their attraction is off the charts hot for each other. Maybe they will survive.

Typically I don’t enjoy a mythological world of confusing Gods with multiple names and attributes but the author focuses here 90% on the couple, and their reactions to each other, rather than the world itself. Psyche and Eros are incredibly hot and steamy together. It starts out as just a front to their world but soon the two are deeply involved and emotionally entangled. I loved that their main concern was for the other. So swoony.
This was my second book by this author. Both were high emotions and high heat with deep love by the end.

🎧 I listened to an audiobook version narrated by Zara Hampton-Brown and Alex Moorcock. The two alternated POV chapters and did multiple voices. I preferred the female narrator because I think she did a better job of distinguishing between voices, both male and female. Both projected emotions with drama and heat and made the performance engaging.
I listened to the first few chapters at 1.0 to get the full resonance of the voices but moved to 1.5 afterwards for my normal talking speed. I don’t feel that I lost any integrity at the higher speed.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media.

[Poppyflowerjj · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 ⭐
3.25/5 🌶️

This second installment in the Dark Olympus series is a standalone featuring Psyche and Eros and their epic love story. Greek myth retelling, forbidden romance, I was sent to kill you, forced proximity, fake marriage with all the spice.

This was a fun quick read. I liked this sequel a LOT better than the first one.

Quotes:
“It takes someone special to live among monsters and not become one.”

“You might be a monster, Eros, but you’re my monster.”

“I don’t care if she deserves someone just as sweet as she is. I want her chained to me, and I’ll rip out the throat of anyone who thinks they can take her away.”

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

“You might be a monster, Eros, but you’re my monster.”

Electric Idol is the second book in the Dark Olympus series by Katee Robert. It can be read as a standalone. If you want a spicy retelling of Eros and Psyche this is the book for you!

This book is a dual POV and it follows Eros, son of Aphrodite, who has been ordered to kill Psyche. Eros struggles to complete this order by his mother, and instead decides to marry Psyche. This fake marriage lines get blurred while tensions rise in Olympus.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, do I prefer Neon Gods? Yes, but I didn't hate this. I did find myself bored during some parts but I loved their relationship and I am obsessed with Eros. WHAT A MAN. The spice was amazing like usual from Katee Robert (let's just say Eros has a lot of mirrors in his home)

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this eARC, ARC was provided in exchange for honest review.

[Olivia (Stories For Coffee) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Katee Robert’s overarching plots are so convoluted for no reason 😩

[Lacey (laceybooklovers) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

The dark olympus series has not been good to me so far lol. Electric Idol was slightly better than Neon Gods for me, but not by much. It has an interesting concept, with this being a Psyche and Eros retelling.

Eros is an assassin for his mother and she tells him the next person he needs to take out is Psyche. In order to protect her, these two end up in a marriage of convenience. Eros and Psyche have to fake being in love and pretend this marriage is real to everyone, but the actual execution of this was lackluster and underwhelming. I didn’t grow to care that much about Eros or Psyche, and the whole issue with his mother was so strange. I just couldn't understand why Eros didn’t tell his mother that he didn’t want to kill anyone anymore. But hey, if you love Katee Robert and neon gods, this is probably gonna work out better for you.

[aleksandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf 45%

Yep, I am definitely parting ways with this author.

[✩ Yaz ✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I don’t care if she deserves someone just as sweet as she is. I want her chained to me, and I’ll rip out the throat of anyone who thinks they can take her away.

Electric Idol is a deliciously steamy reimagining of Psyche and Eros set in an urban fantastical setting ruled by Greek Gods.

I have to applaud Katee Robert's skill on crafting a unique modern setting with Greek mythology so intricately. I'm always impressed with authors that add their own twists to popular myths and fairytales, it was a delight to return to the modern city of Olympus.

To list a few tropes and elements you can expect to find in this book:

— Marriage of Convenience
— Plus-sized heroine
— Tortured Morally Grey Hero
— Reluctant Lovers
— Political and Family Drama
— One-bed Trope
— Plenty of Spice
— Power Plays
— Greek Gods and Goddesses
— Standalone


Eros lived as his mother's knife for years, blood taints his own hands but that comes at no surprise when you are more monster than man.

Psyche Dimitriou bumps into Eros at a party packed with paparazzi. caught in a "not so" compromising situation—Psyche becomes Aphrodite's target and the goddess is determined rid of her for tainting her and her son's image.

And who else should end Psyche's life other than her most lethal weapon—her son Eros.

I am Aphrodite’s knife. She tells me where to go, what revenge to exact, and I follow along like a fucked-up toy soldier.

This book was a much better improvement than it's predecessor Neon Gods. The relationship between Psyche and Eros was developed splendidly. There was some tension and hesitation between the two and that's natural when a marriage starts off for each side's own motives. However as the story progresses, Psyche and Eros started reveal each layer to them.

Aside from being a couple, they were both fantastic characters in their own right. I loved Psyche's vulnerability but also her confidence and intelligence. Eros falls under the torture hero category and I felt bad for what his mother groomed him to become. It was interesting to have his perspective on how he was battling with his past as his mother's assassin and the person he wants to be for Psyche as she made him realize there is more he wanted in this life.

My only complaint is I was missing some more action scenes to keep me at the edge of my seat.

If you're a fan of Greek Mythology especially the infamous tale of Psyche and Eros and sexy retellings, this book is a must!

[Karla Martínez · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Eros, the man that you are 🧎🏽‍♀️. por siempre fan de un hombre obsesionado con la prota >>>

[Helen Power · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick Review: This book takes a popular romance novel trope of the marriage of convenience and puts a steamy and suspenseful new spin on it.
Full Review:

This second installment in the Dark Olympus series is a standalone featuring Psyche and Eros and their epic love story.

The world that Katee Robert has created is fresh and unique. It has hints of the paranormal, what with Olympus being an impossible place to leave, but aside from this, none of the story has supernatural elements. Olympus resembles Manhattan, with the rich socialites and the political intrigue. The thirteen “gods” are in power in the city, and they each control different elements of trade and business. Psyche is the daughter of one of the thirteen, Demeter, and she has her public persona that is quite different from her personal one. She is a social media influencer, and is constantly seeking out the perfect photographs that look effortless while showing herself in the right light. I liked getting the peek of curtain for what the life of a social media influencer could really be like. Psyche deals with a lot of hateful comments on her posts because of her plus-size figure, and her carefully-perfected persona is both crafty and cunning. She has everything down to her favourite drink that she orders at bars selected under the knowledge that it will be under public scrutiny in the gossip magazines.

Aphrodite is one of the Thirteen who is arch nemesis to Demeter. Aphrodite’s son, Eros, does her bidding, whether it’s protecting her from enemies or killing those she views as a potential threat to her power. Because Aphrodite and Demeter despise each other, their children are barely acquaintances. But when Eros shows up to a party injured, Psyche, being a kind and selfless person, is compelled to help him. But of course, they both live in the public eye, and the paparazzi catch them leaving the bathroom together and assume that they’re “together”. Aphrodite is furious, and she tells Eros that she wants Psyche killed. But Eros, despite believing himself to be soulless, can’t bring himself to kill the one person who’s ever shown him kindness. *Insert swooning here*

This book is intense and heavily plotted, but there are numerous sweet moments between Eros and Psyche. I’m not particularly familiar with Greek mythology, and though I was aware of the general story for the first book in this series (you have to be living under a rock not to have heard of Hades and Persephone), I didn’t know who Psyche or Eros was. Despite this ignorance, I loved Robert’s shallow socialites interpretation of this ancient mythology.

*Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ebook to review*

This review appeared first on https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/
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[Zoë · Rating 4 out of 5]

Psyche and Eros has always been my favourite greek myth and this book does it the justice it deserves

[a foray in fantasy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been in kind of a reading slump mood, but this book fixed that.

[GigiReads · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is definitely my last book by this author, I swear on a stack of unread books this time. This book (and the last for that matter) Perfect example of the telling and not showing writing style. The reader spends ungodly amounts of time in the MC's head while they rehash and info dump about their evil mothers, how terrible Olympus is and how evil or good he/she is. Eros is painted as a villain. Like in the first book this is all told and not shown. We get told he's a monster a ridiculous number of times, but he's literally like a Chihuahua all bark and no bite. Psyche fared a little better but she's also very poorly developed. She's kind and she's an influencer. That was literally the extent of her personality. Can we please stop making heroines influencers? Also, what is an influencer in another dimension? This brings me to world building, it's at best confusing and at worst completely ridiculous. Do they exist in this realm? They can't leave that world but some can? They have cell phones? Is there an Apple in Olympus? Like stop the hand waving nonsense and develop your world please and preferably by showing and not info dumping.

The pacing was dragged by all the telling and the insanely boring number of paragraphs and inner monologues and navel gazing. They literally spend half the book planning a wedding, posing for social media and bitching about their mothers.

Two stars because the potential was there and it kept me reading. I'd recommend this to anyone who loves cinnamon roll heroes because Eros isn't an anti hero, no matter how he's described. There are some steamy love scenes and the rest...yawn 🥱

Tropes:
Fake relationship

⭐⭐/5
🔥🔥🔥/5

[abigail ❥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Buddy read with Aiyana 💗

Unlike Neon Gods, I fell deep with Electric Idol. Psyche and Eros are endearing—the meet-cute was intimate and filled with desire and chemistry, you can't not help but like these two together. I don't know if it's a red flag, no—probably more of a weakness, but I always fall for the 'a little bit broken and morally grey' type of characters. I can't help it. Eros had me wishing I was Psyche.

Psyche being plus-sized I absolutely loved. It was nice to have a plus-sized character never waver in their confidence and love of their body—I think this is something more plus-sized characters need in books as well as there needing to be even more of this type of representation (it's getting there).

This book has me super excited for the next installment in the Dark Olympus series :)

[Redhead Haze · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: contemporary romance
Tropes: Greek myth retelling, forbidden romance, I was sent to kill you, forced proximity, fake marriage
Series: Dark Olympus #2
Cliffhanger: No
Spice: 4/5 🌶
Rating: 3.25 ⭐

“What other way?”
“You’re not going to like it.”
He says it so flatly that I have to laugh. “Right. Because I like the idea of being murdered so much more.”
Finally, he seems to steel himself and says, “Marry me.”

I'm going to start by saying I liked the first book more. This one had the same vibe, but it was waaaay more annoying and boring at times. I did, however, liked Psyche and Eros enough.

》》The Plot《《

After Demeter tries to marry her daughter, Psyche, to the new Zeus, Afrodite takes it as an insult and sends her son, Eros, to kill the girl. But, for the first time in his life, Eros feels remorse and, instead of murdering her, he offers to marry her. And that's about the entire plot. They pretend to be madly in love so the public will be on their side in the hopes that Afrodite won't try to kill her anymore, which of course doesn't happen and (after uneventful pages of fake relationship) there's a final showdown. As long as you remember you're not reading this for the plot, it should be OK.

“Be careful, Psyche. Eros is dangerous in the extreme.”
“I know. He’s a monster. But after tonight, he’s my monster.”

It was annoying as hell because at times it was very repetitive, like Eros insisting that he's a monster, saying that if he was a better man he would have left Psyche go, everyone else cautioning Psyche that Eris is dangerous and Hermes being excited about every little thing the Dimitriou sister do. I feel like it was exaggerated at the point of ridicule sometimes. For example:

“Olympus is never dull with you and your sisters around.”
“I could do with a little less excitement.”

The excitement here was that Psyche asked Hermes to go out and post a picture, with her tagged as well, to trick people into thinking they went partying together. Excitement at its best, right?
Anyway, I had to keep reminding myself nobody buys this for the plot. It was a cliché, albeit a fun one, with a predictable ending and no plot twists.

》》Characters and Relationships《《

👩🏽 Psyche Dimitriou

"Psyche Dimitriou might actually be what passes for a unicorn in Olympus—a good person."

If there's something I loved here, it was the plus size representation of female MCs, because they are usually in the standard description of beauty. So Psyche being portrayed as such was refreshing. She was also pretty smart and determined and she ended up solving things by herself, so cheers to women who know how to handle life.

🧑🏼 Eros Ambrosia

"I am Aphrodite’s knife. She tells me where to go, what revenge to exact, and I follow along like a fucked-up toy soldier. My input is never asked for and sure as fuck never heeded."

Pretty much the classic bad boy every other character knows to avoid. Until he falls hard for the good girl and becomes good just for her sake.

👩🏽🧑🏼 Psyche and Eros

“I was under the impression you wanted me out of my clothes.”
“Pass.”
“Everyone else does.”
“Am I supposed to feel sorry for you? Or are you bragging? Please be clear so I can adjust my reaction accordingly.”
He bursts out laughing. “Clever.”

They kind of had that insta-love I'm not exactly a fan of, but the banter was pretty good. The spice scenes were on point too and, if Hades had a kink for the show, Eros has a fascination with mirrors so at least that wasn't boring.

I liked that despite the bad boy - good girl style of the romance, it definitely wasn't a toxic one like some other books portrayed it and at least that is worth appreciating.

👩🏼👩🏽 Persephone and Psyche

“That’s a bit shortsighted.”
I give Persephone a look. “Says the woman who ran away from Zeus and hooked up with the boogeyman of Olympus. Let’s not cast stones.”
My sister seems entirely unconvinced. “Hades didn’t earn his reputation. Eros has.”

I loved that Persephone and Hades appeared here as well and, of course, just like in the first book, I liked the sisterly bond between the girls. But Eurydice was completely absent and Calipso did her own thing (I would like more details about her power marriage!!!), so the proper bond we got to see was between these two.

“You must realize who I have in my corner. If you do something to me, Persephone will rip you into a million pieces, and Hades will stand by to ensure no one stops her from doing it.”

I also loved the references and the few scenes where Hades and Persephone were brought up, because I don't know about you, but I always get duper excited when I see old characters mentioned.

👩🏿 Hermes

"The woman is 90 percent cat; she comes and goes when she feels like it and helps herself to my food and booze regardless of whether I’m in the house to offer it or not. It’s annoying and weirdly endearing in a way no one but Hermes could pull off."

She's still my favorite character and I'm still waiting for a book about her. I'm sure that one won't be boring.

And, if we're talking about side characters, Helen and Eris, Zeus' sisters and Eros' friends were also cool and I'm looking forward to the 3rd book, which will be about Helen.

》》Conclusion《《

It definitely wasn't as good as the first one, but I still kind of enjoy it and I'm definitely going to read the third one when it will be out. There are enough ups and downs to make it impossible to predict whether someone might love or hate this but, in the end, it's all about choosing our own poison, right?

“Look at us. Beauty and her Beast. Happily ever after and everything. Maybe fairy tales do exist.”
“You’re much prettier than the Beast ever was.”
He gives a rough laugh. “And yet much more of a beast than he could ever be.”
“I don’t care. Beast, monster, man, it doesn’t matter to me. You’re mine, Eros Ambrosia.” I tilt my head up and brush a kiss over his lips. “And I’m yours.”

[Paloma · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️🤩

I was slightly nervous to read this bc I didnt love neon gods…but it was sooooooo good!!!! I’m a sucker for marriage of convenience & emotionally removed men 🤣 As someone who loves Greek mythology I think this was a refreshing retelling of Eros & Psyche’s story! Throughly enjoyed myself :)

[Crystal's Bookish Life · Rating 2 out of 5]

Psyche abd Eros retelling. Bit boring honestly.

Overall a pretty average book. Slightly better than the first.

*I was provided an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

[Jenn (The Book Refuge) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Thank you to the author and Edelweiss for an eARC of this book.*

I am so thrilled to be reviewing Electric Idol by Katee Robert. I am a huge fan of Katee and how she pushes the envelope and is always trying something new while also giving me her trademark steam and thrilling romance.

Eros and Psyche are in a pickle when we begin this book and things only get crazier from there. This sweet, luscious woman is just being kind ends up getting on the wrong side of Aphrodite. Who now wants her son to unalive Psyche.

But Eros doesn't want to be wielded like a weapon this time and certainly not to end this woman's life. So he offers the only help he can. A hasty marriage with him. Literally her assassin will become her savior. Of course it can be a chaste, in name only situation… but for how long. When they are drawn so strongly towards each other?

Well.. It's a romance, so let that be your answer, but the road to HEA won't be smooth. As it never is on Olympus.

I can not wait to see what comes next in this series and I am so happy Katee has at least 6 coming in total for this series.

5/5 Stars

[Frédérique · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Neon Gods so so much!!
But I never thought I would enjoy Electric Idol so much more!
The storyline wasn't too fast-paced although the story happens on a couple of days. I truly enjoyed reading their story.

Their chemistry and banter make their relationship so much better. I love it when the male love interest is sent to kill the MC but decides to save her instead!!
Psyche is truly the star of the story. We stan a selfless plus size queen.

All I can say is that you don't wanna miss on reading Electric Idol because it is a fantastic story!!