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The Temple of Persephone
Bridgerton meets Greek mythology in Isabella Kamal's delightful historical romance debut, The Temple of Persephone. Persephone Honeyfield is witty, intelligent, and very aware that the only way to escape the monotony of the life she shares with her father and sister in the English countryside--and the wagging, ever-critical tongues of the people around her--is through marriage. She also knows the likelihood of it being a love match is nearly zero. Aidon Barrington has carried on the legacy of his family's funeral furnishing business, losing himself in the process. A shell of his former charming self, he's traded his reputation as a rake for that of a recluse and regularly appears in the scandal sheets as London's mysterious Lord of the Dead. When Persephone finds herself at Gallowsgate--the old Barrington estate--on a seemingly simple errand, an unexpected run-in with the Lord of the Dead himself leaves her on the brink of ruination. With no other way to silence the village rumor mill, or save her sister's reputation, Persephone agrees to marry Aidon, becoming the wife of a man she hardly knows. Persephone finds herself increasingly fascinated by her new husband, whose kind, patient nature stands in stark contrast to the ever-swirling rumors about him. But when the gossip begins to sound more like reality than fiction, she attempts to uncover the truth behind the Lord of the Dead while discovering she may have already lost her most guarded her heart.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published February 20, 2024
28 people are currently reading
3335 people want to read
About the author
Isabella Kamal
1 book30 followersIsabella Kamal is an Iraqi Muslim historical romance author. Growing up in the Middle East, she had very little access to romance novels—but once she got hold of one, she never looked back.
Isabella is a graduate of the University of California, Davis, and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Now calling Pasadena home, she can usually be found in independent bookstores or reading under her heated blanket after long days spent developing stem cell-based therapies.
Isabella is a graduate of the University of California, Davis, and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Now calling Pasadena home, she can usually be found in independent bookstores or reading under her heated blanket after long days spent developing stem cell-based therapies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
February 22, 2024
A light, enjoyable Regency Romance. This feels like a debut, but like a debut by someone who loves historical romance. We've got a quickie marriage thanks to our characters getting caught in a mildly scandalous position: Persephone breaks in to Aidon's house (side eye, Persephone) - but just to check out his library! She falls off one of those cool library ladders into his arms when the hem of her dress rips. Conveniently, the town gossip just happens to enter the library at that moment, so Persephone's dad claims that they were already engaged. Since Aidon finds it both quite convenient to be married AND because he thinks Persephone is hot, he goes along with it.
Aidon's got secrets (his nickname is "the Lord of the Dead," which is so on the nose Isabella Kamal never tries to pretend like it's a subtle reference), Persephone has a hot younger sister she feels like she can never live up to, and they both fall in love. Where the book felt most like a debut and where it could most have benefited was in the conflict: Once you get your characters together early in the text, you need to have something keeping them from conjugal bliss. Here, there's Aidon's creepy older brother, his bumbling but sweet BFF, Persephone's own village friend, and (of course) his secret secrets. Just one of those items would have been sufficient.
Is this a closed door romance? Nope! We've got several scenes with a focus on Persephone's pleasure (this includes a bath scene and some face sitting, which is never a disappointment in a historical romance). That said, despite their early marriage, the characters spend a long time circling each other before they finally collide.
3.5 stars rounded to 4. Recommended for historical romance fans who don't mind the basics of the genre. Looking forward to seeing where Kamal goes from here.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
Aidon's got secrets (his nickname is "the Lord of the Dead," which is so on the nose Isabella Kamal never tries to pretend like it's a subtle reference), Persephone has a hot younger sister she feels like she can never live up to, and they both fall in love. Where the book felt most like a debut and where it could most have benefited was in the conflict: Once you get your characters together early in the text, you need to have something keeping them from conjugal bliss. Here, there's Aidon's creepy older brother, his bumbling but sweet BFF, Persephone's own village friend, and (of course) his secret secrets. Just one of those items would have been sufficient.
Is this a closed door romance? Nope! We've got several scenes with a focus on Persephone's pleasure (this includes a bath scene and some face sitting, which is never a disappointment in a historical romance). That said, despite their early marriage, the characters spend a long time circling each other before they finally collide.
3.5 stars rounded to 4. Recommended for historical romance fans who don't mind the basics of the genre. Looking forward to seeing where Kamal goes from here.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
May 20, 2024
Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (I struggle with telling on audio but felt about average? Maybe a touch longer?)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (though they are rather smushed close together in the book – also note I am a lazy note taker on audio so I could be off a bit with steam/details)
Humor: A touch
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: Takes a little bit, about Chapter 4 of 38
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, a few years later (though it feels a bit more like a lead in to the next book in the series)
Format: bought audiobook
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
This is Kamal’s debut!
Basic plot:
Persephone believes marriage is not for her. She’s living a quiet life in the country with her father and sister when she’s compromised at a neighbors house.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1811)
- London and Oxbury settings (mostly English countryside setting)
- short haired heroine! (She tends to cut it to deal with stress)
- compromised heroine
- Persephone / Hades retelling
- marriage of convenience (maybe a bit of necessity?)
- size difference
- medium steam – 3-4 ‘full’ scenes but they are close together in the middle of the book
Ages:
- Heroine is 27, didn’t catch hero
First line:
Fancy striking a deal with the devil?
My thoughts:
Narration notes – I’ll admit Susan Duerden isn’t my favorite. There’s something I wasn’t loving when I first started. BUT! She really grew on me with this one. I ended up adoring her male voices so, so much. And I liked her female characters voices too even though they were a bit breathy. I think it was more her general narration for me that just isn’t one I love. But overall I enjoyed!
I probably wouldn’t have picked this book up without some outside influence. There is something about it that just feels like it’s going to be an inspirational romance to me – but after reading (which I’m so glad I did!) I can totally see Persephone as this cover model and love the short hair representation (in Regency)!
I love Persephone and Hades retellings and enjoyed the take on this one. I love compromised heroine and enjoyed how character focused this one. There were some times that I wanted the mains together more, they kind of have a slow time coming together. But once they do it’s perfection!
I am eagerly looking forward to what else Kamal comes out with.
Endearments
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes: I could be a bit off as I was lazy with notes
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (I struggle with telling on audio but felt about average? Maybe a touch longer?)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (though they are rather smushed close together in the book – also note I am a lazy note taker on audio so I could be off a bit with steam/details)
Humor: A touch
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: Takes a little bit, about Chapter 4 of 38
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, a few years later (though it feels a bit more like a lead in to the next book in the series)
Format: bought audiobook
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
This is Kamal’s debut!
Basic plot:
Persephone believes marriage is not for her. She’s living a quiet life in the country with her father and sister when she’s compromised at a neighbors house.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1811)
- London and Oxbury settings (mostly English countryside setting)
- short haired heroine! (She tends to cut it to deal with stress)
- compromised heroine
- Persephone / Hades retelling
- marriage of convenience (maybe a bit of necessity?)
- size difference
- medium steam – 3-4 ‘full’ scenes but they are close together in the middle of the book
Ages:
- Heroine is 27, didn’t catch hero
First line:
Fancy striking a deal with the devil?
My thoughts:
Narration notes – I’ll admit Susan Duerden isn’t my favorite. There’s something I wasn’t loving when I first started. BUT! She really grew on me with this one. I ended up adoring her male voices so, so much. And I liked her female characters voices too even though they were a bit breathy. I think it was more her general narration for me that just isn’t one I love. But overall I enjoyed!
I probably wouldn’t have picked this book up without some outside influence. There is something about it that just feels like it’s going to be an inspirational romance to me – but after reading (which I’m so glad I did!) I can totally see Persephone as this cover model and love the short hair representation (in Regency)!
I love Persephone and Hades retellings and enjoyed the take on this one. I love compromised heroine and enjoyed how character focused this one. There were some times that I wanted the mains together more, they kind of have a slow time coming together. But once they do it’s perfection!
I am eagerly looking forward to what else Kamal comes out with.
Endearments
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes: I could be a bit off as I was lazy with notes
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
January 8, 2024
Regency romance and Greek mythology? I'm in! The Temple of Persephone reminded me how much I enjoy historical romance. It was a great story with lovely characters and some spicy scenes. I had a really hard time putting the book down because I just wanted to keep reading about Persephone and Aidon. I already can't wait for the author's next book!
This book is about Persephone Honeyfield who lives a quiet live in the countryside with her younger sister Venus and their father who keeps bees. She would love to get away from the tediousness and gossip but at 27 years old she's ready to settle into spinsterhood. Until she meets Aidon Barrington, who is known as the Lord of the Dead in London, and finds herself into a compromised postion with him by accident. To save herself from the scandal and to make sure her sister isn't ruined by association, Penelope and Aidon agree to marry each other.
I really loved both Persephone and Aidon as characters on their own but also when they were together. Aidon could maybe be a little too broody for my tastes but I understand why he came to be that way. I really liked seeing their relationship grow as they go from a marriage of convenience to falling in love slowly but surely and discovering it all together. There were also some really good spicy scenes that I loved! There were some similarities between the myth of Persephone and Hades in contrast to this book's Persephone and Aiden, which I, of course, adored. It wasn't a direct retelling but there were some aspects of it.
The story was maybe a bit too light on the plot. Especially with the secret Aidon was keeping. I didn't find it too shocking, personally, when it was all finally revealed and I didn't really get why Aidon made such a big secret about it. But in the end I read historical romances for the romance part and that definitely didn't disappoint me. I also hope we can expect Venus' story next. Fingers crossed!
This book is about Persephone Honeyfield who lives a quiet live in the countryside with her younger sister Venus and their father who keeps bees. She would love to get away from the tediousness and gossip but at 27 years old she's ready to settle into spinsterhood. Until she meets Aidon Barrington, who is known as the Lord of the Dead in London, and finds herself into a compromised postion with him by accident. To save herself from the scandal and to make sure her sister isn't ruined by association, Penelope and Aidon agree to marry each other.
I really loved both Persephone and Aidon as characters on their own but also when they were together. Aidon could maybe be a little too broody for my tastes but I understand why he came to be that way. I really liked seeing their relationship grow as they go from a marriage of convenience to falling in love slowly but surely and discovering it all together. There were also some really good spicy scenes that I loved! There were some similarities between the myth of Persephone and Hades in contrast to this book's Persephone and Aiden, which I, of course, adored. It wasn't a direct retelling but there were some aspects of it.
The story was maybe a bit too light on the plot. Especially with the secret Aidon was keeping. I didn't find it too shocking, personally, when it was all finally revealed and I didn't really get why Aidon made such a big secret about it. But in the end I read historical romances for the romance part and that definitely didn't disappoint me. I also hope we can expect Venus' story next. Fingers crossed!
March 30, 2024
This is a review for the audiobook version. So first and foremost, I want to talk about what a fantastic job Susan Duerden did narrating this book. Her voice was a perfect fit and really brought the story to life. I loved every minute of listening to her wonderful narration.
The book itself was a quick and easy read. It's a Regency retelling of Hades and Persephone, and Isabella Kamal puts a wonderful spin on it. I loved Persephone! She was a strong character who knew her own mind. Aidon was reserved but lovable deep down. I thought their chemistry was great, and the book had a good amount of spice.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this one and definitely look forward to more to come from this author.
Thank you, Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley, for allowing me an ARC of this audiobook for review. Opinions expressed are my own.
The book itself was a quick and easy read. It's a Regency retelling of Hades and Persephone, and Isabella Kamal puts a wonderful spin on it. I loved Persephone! She was a strong character who knew her own mind. Aidon was reserved but lovable deep down. I thought their chemistry was great, and the book had a good amount of spice.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this one and definitely look forward to more to come from this author.
Thank you, Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley, for allowing me an ARC of this audiobook for review. Opinions expressed are my own.
February 21, 2024
The Temple of Persephone-a standalone
By-Isabella Kamal-debut
Publication date 2-20-24 , read 2-19-24
📃 Page count: 350 kindle
🌎Setting: Oxbury, England 1811
Quick Summary: Persephone Honeyfield knows the only way out of her monotonous life of books and gossip is marriage. Aidon Barrington took over his family business providing funeral services for the ton. He feels lost and burdened by his job, his older brother, and his father's expectations. When they meet at the old Barrington estate, Gallowsgate, they are found in a compromising position though completely innocent. Persephone's father Solomon and town gossiper Mrs. Harding see them, and her father announces their engagement for propriety's sake. Persephone doesn't know what she's getting with Aidon who has been deemed Lord of Dead..
🤷🏾♀️ What to Expect:
⭐Regency Romance
⭐Greek mythology/characteristics of Hades and Persephone
⭐hidden secret
⭐ ️marriage of convenience
⭐️slow burn romance
🤔 My Thoughts: I loved the cross over of historical fiction to Greek mythology. Persephone and Aidon were great together once they got to know each other. Aidon was very brooding and mysterious, especially being Lord of Dead (King of the Underworld). Persephone did her duty for her sister Venus in hopes of finding her a good match. Both had father issues but were able to confront them with each other's support. The "big secret" about Aidon was a little anticlimactic, but overall this was a great love story about ghosts of the past, gossip, and becoming your true self. I hope Venus gets her HEA!
Rating: 4/5⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice level 4/5🔥🔥🔥🔥 h's 1st time
Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this ARC 🩷! I voluntarily give an honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.
By-Isabella Kamal-debut
Publication date 2-20-24 , read 2-19-24
📃 Page count: 350 kindle
🌎Setting: Oxbury, England 1811
Quick Summary: Persephone Honeyfield knows the only way out of her monotonous life of books and gossip is marriage. Aidon Barrington took over his family business providing funeral services for the ton. He feels lost and burdened by his job, his older brother, and his father's expectations. When they meet at the old Barrington estate, Gallowsgate, they are found in a compromising position though completely innocent. Persephone's father Solomon and town gossiper Mrs. Harding see them, and her father announces their engagement for propriety's sake. Persephone doesn't know what she's getting with Aidon who has been deemed Lord of Dead..
🤷🏾♀️ What to Expect:
⭐Regency Romance
⭐Greek mythology/characteristics of Hades and Persephone
⭐hidden secret
⭐ ️marriage of convenience
⭐️slow burn romance
🤔 My Thoughts: I loved the cross over of historical fiction to Greek mythology. Persephone and Aidon were great together once they got to know each other. Aidon was very brooding and mysterious, especially being Lord of Dead (King of the Underworld). Persephone did her duty for her sister Venus in hopes of finding her a good match. Both had father issues but were able to confront them with each other's support. The "big secret" about Aidon was a little anticlimactic, but overall this was a great love story about ghosts of the past, gossip, and becoming your true self. I hope Venus gets her HEA!
Rating: 4/5⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice level 4/5🔥🔥🔥🔥 h's 1st time
Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this ARC 🩷! I voluntarily give an honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.
September 8, 2024
This was a really sweet regency romance! I enjoyed that it's sort of a Hades and Persephone retelling, but not really gruesome.
September 3, 2024
What an absolute slog to get through.
February 14, 2024
Charming and delicious! This regency romance is a (loose) retelling the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone.
It's warm and wise, and meanders to a happy ending for these two lovely people. Aidon is the principal of a firm offering funeral services to the well-to-do in London. He's also emotionally cut off by the cruelty and neglect of his dead father. A former rake, he hasn't been able to get out of this father's shadow, or away from his expectations. Enter Persephone, who also has a problematic relationship with her own father and chooses marriage to Aidon, with all his secrets, as an escape from gossip and her stultifying home life.
It's steamy, there's lots of yearning and pining, and they have to build trust together. There's some lovely friends, village gossip, a bit of matchmaking, plenty of detail about their lives and a satisfactory resolution of Aidon's secrets.
It's a gentle and satisfying read from a thoughtful debut author - recommended! Oh and the cover is gorgeous too :)
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC. Rounded up to four stars.
It's warm and wise, and meanders to a happy ending for these two lovely people. Aidon is the principal of a firm offering funeral services to the well-to-do in London. He's also emotionally cut off by the cruelty and neglect of his dead father. A former rake, he hasn't been able to get out of this father's shadow, or away from his expectations. Enter Persephone, who also has a problematic relationship with her own father and chooses marriage to Aidon, with all his secrets, as an escape from gossip and her stultifying home life.
It's steamy, there's lots of yearning and pining, and they have to build trust together. There's some lovely friends, village gossip, a bit of matchmaking, plenty of detail about their lives and a satisfactory resolution of Aidon's secrets.
It's a gentle and satisfying read from a thoughtful debut author - recommended! Oh and the cover is gorgeous too :)
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC. Rounded up to four stars.
May 8, 2024
Should have been shorter. Too much annoying repetition. Characters who kept making the same dumb mistakes over and over. Why did Aiden keep trying to maintain a business he hated when he did not need the $? I got so frustrated that I speed read the last 30%.
March 13, 2025
dnf @ 30%
A recommendation by a podcast I should have learned not to trust anymore.
Unpopular opinion: Anything will be called a Hades & Persephone retelling these days. If it wasn't for the protagonists' names (Aidon and Persephone) and the evident differences in environments they were socialized in (chaotic spring cottage vs. foreboding estate with an adjacent cemetery - do you want to guess which is which?), I couldn't have predicted the Greek myth this story was supposed to be based on.
And yes, Persephone is named after the goddess in-universe. She is even raised reading the abduction myth, and claims she thought she, too, would be kidnapped one day (sadly that's not the premise of this novel, otherwise I might have had the time of my life reading it). Frankly, I'm confused by the levels of meta right here. There are numerous in-dialogue mentions of the deity Persephone, but no actual references to the original material which would in fact recall her narrative-wise.
Now, I have spent more hours of my life coming up with interesting OC lore that makes sense in my very own H&P-inspired stories (plural) than I would like to admit, so the fact that in The Temple of Persephone nothing of note actually pertains to Greek mythology feels pretty underwhelming. For instance you can't tell me that much thought went into the relationships besides those between the two main characters. There is always the chance that I stopped reading too early on to have caught any clever allusions, but let's be honest... I doubt it. Let's check a few examples that felt wrong to me:
a) Persephone has one younger sister named Venus, which... I guess, ok.
b) Her mother is dead. Instead, her father, Solomon, is the head of the household. I think this could have been done more cleverly, building bridges between myth and Regency AU. Why can't the dad bite the dust? One Zeus less in the world, one more Demeter to let fire and brimstone rain down on the ton - or something.
c) Aidon's older brother is called Cassius. What are the naming conventions here? The way the character is built up as far as I got, I assume this is the stand-in for Zeus, but the name only very remotely sounds like that, and is in fact of Latin origin - so what are we going for here?
d) There are some secondary characters, like Christianna and Ezra, whom I can't really sort into a definite mythological role - so I must assume they are not intended to be any sort of mythological figure and instead just some Regency randos? Is Ezra meant to be Eros??? It's driving me insane!
e) How on earth does anyone get rich off funeral furnishings? We could have had a working class mli. Memo to myself, look that up.
f) Whatever quaint English village these people live in... the weather there is hot. Is that supposed to be Thessaly, or...
Plenty of bad worldbuilding choices, in my opinion. Had this at least been entertaining, I would have finished the book, but as you can guess from the dnf status, it wasn't. Persephone and Aidon are married for some sham reason by the 25% mark, keep getting interrupted just as they are about to kiss (I skimmed a few chapters ahead, it's quite hilarious how often this occurs), and somehow never give me a explanation for why Persephone initially had no prospects of marriage.
Is it because she is nature-loving and bookish? How unique.
What kept me reading for as long as I did was, plainly, the heroine's pixie cut on the cover. Somehow, I derived from it the hope that something must be different about this particular H&P retelling. A hope that was shattered, because no one gets even close to the gender-nonconforming excellence of Regency romances by Cat Sebastian.
Cat Sebastian Hades & Persephone historical retelling challenge!!!
A recommendation by a podcast I should have learned not to trust anymore.
Unpopular opinion: Anything will be called a Hades & Persephone retelling these days. If it wasn't for the protagonists' names (Aidon and Persephone) and the evident differences in environments they were socialized in (chaotic spring cottage vs. foreboding estate with an adjacent cemetery - do you want to guess which is which?), I couldn't have predicted the Greek myth this story was supposed to be based on.
And yes, Persephone is named after the goddess in-universe. She is even raised reading the abduction myth, and claims she thought she, too, would be kidnapped one day (sadly that's not the premise of this novel, otherwise I might have had the time of my life reading it). Frankly, I'm confused by the levels of meta right here. There are numerous in-dialogue mentions of the deity Persephone, but no actual references to the original material which would in fact recall her narrative-wise.
Now, I have spent more hours of my life coming up with interesting OC lore that makes sense in my very own H&P-inspired stories (plural) than I would like to admit, so the fact that in The Temple of Persephone nothing of note actually pertains to Greek mythology feels pretty underwhelming. For instance you can't tell me that much thought went into the relationships besides those between the two main characters. There is always the chance that I stopped reading too early on to have caught any clever allusions, but let's be honest... I doubt it. Let's check a few examples that felt wrong to me:
a) Persephone has one younger sister named Venus, which... I guess, ok.
b) Her mother is dead. Instead, her father, Solomon, is the head of the household. I think this could have been done more cleverly, building bridges between myth and Regency AU. Why can't the dad bite the dust? One Zeus less in the world, one more Demeter to let fire and brimstone rain down on the ton - or something.
c) Aidon's older brother is called Cassius. What are the naming conventions here? The way the character is built up as far as I got, I assume this is the stand-in for Zeus, but the name only very remotely sounds like that, and is in fact of Latin origin - so what are we going for here?
d) There are some secondary characters, like Christianna and Ezra, whom I can't really sort into a definite mythological role - so I must assume they are not intended to be any sort of mythological figure and instead just some Regency randos? Is Ezra meant to be Eros??? It's driving me insane!
e) How on earth does anyone get rich off funeral furnishings? We could have had a working class mli. Memo to myself, look that up.
f) Whatever quaint English village these people live in... the weather there is hot. Is that supposed to be Thessaly, or...
Plenty of bad worldbuilding choices, in my opinion. Had this at least been entertaining, I would have finished the book, but as you can guess from the dnf status, it wasn't. Persephone and Aidon are married for some sham reason by the 25% mark, keep getting interrupted just as they are about to kiss (I skimmed a few chapters ahead, it's quite hilarious how often this occurs), and somehow never give me a explanation for why Persephone initially had no prospects of marriage.
Is it because she is nature-loving and bookish? How unique.
What kept me reading for as long as I did was, plainly, the heroine's pixie cut on the cover. Somehow, I derived from it the hope that something must be different about this particular H&P retelling. A hope that was shattered, because no one gets even close to the gender-nonconforming excellence of Regency romances by Cat Sebastian.
Cat Sebastian Hades & Persephone historical retelling challenge!!!
May 24, 2024
3.25
"...and she felt a thrill shoot up her spine at his admission. He'd wanted this. He'd wanted her. The day they met at Gallows' Gate. Her! Undesirable, unlovable Persephone who had paled in comparison to the lovely Venus her entire life. That she felt any surprise at all, made her realize how often her mind refused to accept the simple truth, 'Persephone Honeyfield had never been one to attract affection.' What a terrible belief to hold on to, and what a difficult belief to shake."
I really enjoyed this audiobook. It's a marriage of convenience with two outcast main characters, what's not to love?! Parts felt a little formulaic and forced (which is not bad! I love the formula!!!), but it just didn't stand out that much, or took me out of the story I guess. I think the author wanted to make this "big scary secret" for Aiden and it just didn't hit, but it'd be harder to go darker without shifting the tone. It was a solid Hades/Persephone re-imagining, but like meh? idk.
thank you Netgalley for the audiobook galley in exchange for an honest review.
"...and she felt a thrill shoot up her spine at his admission. He'd wanted this. He'd wanted her. The day they met at Gallows' Gate. Her! Undesirable, unlovable Persephone who had paled in comparison to the lovely Venus her entire life. That she felt any surprise at all, made her realize how often her mind refused to accept the simple truth, 'Persephone Honeyfield had never been one to attract affection.' What a terrible belief to hold on to, and what a difficult belief to shake."
I really enjoyed this audiobook. It's a marriage of convenience with two outcast main characters, what's not to love?! Parts felt a little formulaic and forced (which is not bad! I love the formula!!!), but it just didn't stand out that much, or took me out of the story I guess. I think the author wanted to make this "big scary secret" for Aiden and it just didn't hit, but it'd be harder to go darker without shifting the tone. It was a solid Hades/Persephone re-imagining, but like meh? idk.
thank you Netgalley for the audiobook galley in exchange for an honest review.
November 12, 2023
I am not a historical romance girlie and I have never been a historical romance girlie, AND YET something about Isabella Kamal's book made me eager to give it a whirl and it did not disappoint! I found myself hooked early on into the story and I just adored the dual POV.
I'm incredibly weary of giving anything away because one of the pitfalls I find with historical romance is that there's only so much that can happen to our heroines given the strict social morays of the time.
What I will say is that Isabella's writing really shines. I can see just how much thought and love has gone into this story and I'm really looking forward to reading more of her work in the future. Huge congratulations on your release!
I'm incredibly weary of giving anything away because one of the pitfalls I find with historical romance is that there's only so much that can happen to our heroines given the strict social morays of the time.
What I will say is that Isabella's writing really shines. I can see just how much thought and love has gone into this story and I'm really looking forward to reading more of her work in the future. Huge congratulations on your release!
December 31, 2024
I listened to the audiobook version of this. I didn’t love the narrator, but I thought the story was sweet, and I liked the connection to Greek mythology. The author left the end open for some of the supporting characters, so I’m hoping that means she plans to write more mythology-inspired stories. I deducted a couple of stars because, overall, the plot was predictable, and I sometimes found the angst and wounds keeping the main characters apart tedious. But overall I thought the author did a good job, and the whole thing was entertaining to listen to.
October 27, 2024
If you can take a girl named Persepohne Honeyfield marrying a guy with the nickname "the lord of the dead" seriously, then this book is for you
April 4, 2024
*read for library reading challenge*
January 21, 2024
Persephone Honeyfield is twenty-seven and resigned to spinsterhood as a permanent fixture of her father’s estate in the rural English countryside. But fate has made other plans, and Persephone soon finds herself in a compromising situation with neighboring estate owner, Aidon Barrington. Reformed rake and owner of the most exclusive funerary services firm in London, Aidon has been christened “Lord of the Dead” by the scandal sheets. Persephone initially dismisses the gossip as ridiculous, and agrees to accept Aidon’s offer of marriage to preserve her reputation. But after being safely ensconced in her new home at Aidon’s manor, Gallowsgate, Persephone is alarmed to discover that her serious but attentive new husband is harboring dark secrets that threaten to destroy their blossoming romance.
Within the few first pages, I could immediately see why this author was signed. Her voice is absolutely suited to the historical romance genre. Her prose is gentle and measured, the pacing is even, the tone is airy with a whimsical quality. She hits all of the notes that a charming historical romance should have, like elegance, comportment, longing, repression, and sexual tension. I loved the way that the author incorporated consent into the story, which empowered Persephone to chart the course of her and Aidon's sexual relationship. The book is sex positive, which is always refreshing to see in a hist-rom.
Unfortunately, there is just not enough story here to justify a full-length novel. As is, I think this would have worked much better as a novella because Aidon and Persephone’s story, as written, is not complex. The secrets Aidon is keeping aren't earth shattering or particularly interesting, nor do they require much resolution to facilitate his and Persephone's HEA.
We are told that there are a lot of things in Persephone and Aidon’s pasts that inform the choices they make as adults, but we aren’t shown any of it. There are no flashbacks, or even any dialogue between any of the characters that would give us a solid frame of reference for Persephone’s persistent and lifelong insecurity, or Aidon’s compulsion to prove himself a man after his father’s death.
As a result, I was never fully invested in the main characters' internal or interpersonal conflicts. By 50%, I realized that Aidon and Persephone are just not that interesting as people. Aidon is boring, Persephone is insecure. We never seem to get past those two aspects of their characters. To some extent, I really have to look at the editor on this one. It is the editor’s responsibility to facilitate story development, plug the holes, tighten the narrative, and put the focus where it needs to be when it comes to the romance arc and the major themes. I actually felt a little frustrated at times while reading, as I think that under a better editor’s guidance, this could have been a 4-star read based on the author’s writing ability and style.
The characters that I want to know more about are the ones that have real stuff going on in their lives. Ezra and Christianna: mild-mannered and innocent for all to see, but behind closed doors they both make radical choices for the time. And Cassius, who is written like a real human person fighting serious demons as opposed to the “I’m emotionally scarred so all I do is work like an automaton even though I hate my job” Aidon.
I will be watching for the next book from this author because I believe she does have potential as she perfects her craft, and given the opportunity to work with an experienced editor who has story development skills.
Tropes: Regency romance, forced marriage, slow burn, insta-love, spinster, brooding hero, fated mates
Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.
Within the few first pages, I could immediately see why this author was signed. Her voice is absolutely suited to the historical romance genre. Her prose is gentle and measured, the pacing is even, the tone is airy with a whimsical quality. She hits all of the notes that a charming historical romance should have, like elegance, comportment, longing, repression, and sexual tension. I loved the way that the author incorporated consent into the story, which empowered Persephone to chart the course of her and Aidon's sexual relationship. The book is sex positive, which is always refreshing to see in a hist-rom.
Unfortunately, there is just not enough story here to justify a full-length novel. As is, I think this would have worked much better as a novella because Aidon and Persephone’s story, as written, is not complex. The secrets Aidon is keeping aren't earth shattering or particularly interesting, nor do they require much resolution to facilitate his and Persephone's HEA.
We are told that there are a lot of things in Persephone and Aidon’s pasts that inform the choices they make as adults, but we aren’t shown any of it. There are no flashbacks, or even any dialogue between any of the characters that would give us a solid frame of reference for Persephone’s persistent and lifelong insecurity, or Aidon’s compulsion to prove himself a man after his father’s death.
As a result, I was never fully invested in the main characters' internal or interpersonal conflicts. By 50%, I realized that Aidon and Persephone are just not that interesting as people. Aidon is boring, Persephone is insecure. We never seem to get past those two aspects of their characters. To some extent, I really have to look at the editor on this one. It is the editor’s responsibility to facilitate story development, plug the holes, tighten the narrative, and put the focus where it needs to be when it comes to the romance arc and the major themes. I actually felt a little frustrated at times while reading, as I think that under a better editor’s guidance, this could have been a 4-star read based on the author’s writing ability and style.
The characters that I want to know more about are the ones that have real stuff going on in their lives. Ezra and Christianna: mild-mannered and innocent for all to see, but behind closed doors they both make radical choices for the time. And Cassius, who is written like a real human person fighting serious demons as opposed to the “I’m emotionally scarred so all I do is work like an automaton even though I hate my job” Aidon.
I will be watching for the next book from this author because I believe she does have potential as she perfects her craft, and given the opportunity to work with an experienced editor who has story development skills.
Tropes: Regency romance, forced marriage, slow burn, insta-love, spinster, brooding hero, fated mates
Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.
January 10, 2024
Regency romance meets Greek mythology? Count me in! The story was fantastic, featuring charming characters and some steamy scenes that kept things interesting. I struggled to put the book down because I just needed more of Persephone and Aidon.
However, the plot felt a bit on the lighter side, especially with Aidon's secret. When it was finally spilled, I personally didn't find it too shocking, and I couldn't quite grasp why Aidon made such a big deal out of it. But hey, when it comes to historical romances, I'm here for the romance, and on that front, this book absolutely delivered!
However, the plot felt a bit on the lighter side, especially with Aidon's secret. When it was finally spilled, I personally didn't find it too shocking, and I couldn't quite grasp why Aidon made such a big deal out of it. But hey, when it comes to historical romances, I'm here for the romance, and on that front, this book absolutely delivered!
October 18, 2023
The Temple of Persephone did a wonderful job of combining two of my favorite things: Greek mythology & Regency romance. Persephone and Aidon are very well-written and feel authentic to both the Persephone/Hades mythological characters as well as people of their station who lived in the Regency era. I'd say the one weak spot of the book was the "secret" that Aidon was keeping. Firstly - it wasn't much of a secret, as it felt telegraphed from page one, and secondly - who cares??
All that said, I did very much enjoy this one. It's sweet and somewhat quiet, but also has some deep moments between the leads. 3.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
All that said, I did very much enjoy this one. It's sweet and somewhat quiet, but also has some deep moments between the leads. 3.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
October 13, 2023
Aidon and Persephone's romance was well built up. I enjoyed the humour in 'asking questions' - I thought that was a sweet take. Aidon's backstory was intriguing, and I constantly tried to guess what the 'Lord of the Dead' was up to. I must admit that it was a lot of build-up for something simple. That would be the only disappointing factor of the book. The epilogue confused me at first, as I thought I had missed something in previous chapters; I hope there is a sequel. I would very much like to read about Venus' love story.
Read
March 22, 2024 I tried really hard to like this book. I tried even harder to finish it. Nope. It's so slow-moving that I found it totally maddening, and the characters are... flat. Boring. Definitely hiding some mysterious secrets, but I made it about halfway through without any progress on those dramatic reveals, and I expired from boredom. I'm so glad other people are enjoying it. It's just not for me.
Advanced Reader's Copy Provided by Edelweiss.
Advanced Reader's Copy Provided by Edelweiss.
March 11, 2024
I wanted so badly to love this book but just didn’t. The characters seemed really flat and the twist wasn’t much of a twist. All in all a sweet but overall boring read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2024
Man, Hades and Persephone have been my favorite myth couple since I was a child. It's pretty neat how popular they've become. So many retellings and such.
This is a little different. Persephone obviously knows the goddess that she is named after and the myth very, very well. And it does not escape her one bit when she is forced to marry Aidon (Aidoneus, hint hint)AKA The Lord of the Dead, due to being caught alone together (gasp)
.
Aidon's business is funeral furnishings, but he does something else on the side...something secret, something eating away at him. The gossip rags named him the Lord of Death/Lord of the Dead, and also name him a vampire, organ harvester, and other horrific things. they don't name him by name, of course, that's not how gossip rags work, but everyone knows who it is they speak of.
Aidon needs to marry in order to cut off his brother, a drunk, rake leaching off him. His father's will states that he needs to marry in order to reduce his brother's yearly allowances.
.
Enter Persephone.... literally, she sneaks into his estate to look for a book that her late mother left there. She has no idea that the Lord of the Dead has returned to his childhood home. The place has sat abandoned for at least a decade. What are the odds that he returns the very morning she decides to sneak in? Persephone is a spinster. at twenty-seven years old she is very firmly off the shelf. the only two suitors she's ever had have turned tail after the first meeting and never returned. She's freckled, short, bare foot, torn hems, opinionated and not conventionally attractive; especially after she took scissors to her hair and wears it short, much to the shock of everyone that sees her.
.
Aidon is certain that a woodland nymph has wandered into his library. His heart is lost at first sight.
.
I found this to be a lovely, gentle and sweet version of Hades and Persephone. There are plenty of fun parallels to discover, Aidon has a horrific father and a drunk rake for a brother. Persephone's home is over-ran by flowers, as her father is a beekeeper, selling honey that is famous across the land.
Somewhat emotional at times, I was very surprised by this book.
I do have to nit-pick one thing, the reason this is not a 5 star read for me...the dialogue. It's not horrible, but it is inaccurate. Well-bred people just didn't talk like that. It gets better as the story goes but the first five or six chapters were a bit painful to read. Especially the use of a saying 70+ years before it was coined.
Otherwise, I really liked this book, it is very much a comfort/cozy read.
This is a little different. Persephone obviously knows the goddess that she is named after and the myth very, very well. And it does not escape her one bit when she is forced to marry Aidon (Aidoneus, hint hint)AKA The Lord of the Dead, due to being caught alone together (gasp)
.
Aidon's business is funeral furnishings, but he does something else on the side...something secret, something eating away at him. The gossip rags named him the Lord of Death/Lord of the Dead, and also name him a vampire, organ harvester, and other horrific things. they don't name him by name, of course, that's not how gossip rags work, but everyone knows who it is they speak of.
Aidon needs to marry in order to cut off his brother, a drunk, rake leaching off him. His father's will states that he needs to marry in order to reduce his brother's yearly allowances.
.
Enter Persephone.... literally, she sneaks into his estate to look for a book that her late mother left there. She has no idea that the Lord of the Dead has returned to his childhood home. The place has sat abandoned for at least a decade. What are the odds that he returns the very morning she decides to sneak in? Persephone is a spinster. at twenty-seven years old she is very firmly off the shelf. the only two suitors she's ever had have turned tail after the first meeting and never returned. She's freckled, short, bare foot, torn hems, opinionated and not conventionally attractive; especially after she took scissors to her hair and wears it short, much to the shock of everyone that sees her.
.
Aidon is certain that a woodland nymph has wandered into his library. His heart is lost at first sight.
.
I found this to be a lovely, gentle and sweet version of Hades and Persephone. There are plenty of fun parallels to discover, Aidon has a horrific father and a drunk rake for a brother. Persephone's home is over-ran by flowers, as her father is a beekeeper, selling honey that is famous across the land.
Somewhat emotional at times, I was very surprised by this book.
I do have to nit-pick one thing, the reason this is not a 5 star read for me...the dialogue. It's not horrible, but it is inaccurate. Well-bred people just didn't talk like that. It gets better as the story goes but the first five or six chapters were a bit painful to read. Especially the use of a saying 70+ years before it was coined.
Otherwise, I really liked this book, it is very much a comfort/cozy read.
October 16, 2023
"The Temple of Persephone" is a historical romance novel written by Isabella Kamal, retelling of the myth of Hades and Persephone.
Lovely, simple and funny book, which entertained and relaxed me a lot!
The brisk, effervescent writing, fast pace and short chapters kept me glued to the pages. I got to the end without almost realizing it gosh! I enjoyed the pleasant descriptions (especially those of the English countryside), the brilliant dialogues, and the lighthearted atmosphere of the book! It is a novel that put me in a good mood and for a few hours managed to transport me away from everyday life, enveloping me in a serene and cozy bubble.
I liked Aidon and Persephone, protagonists with their respective third person povs, a lot! Persephone Honeyfield is an intelligent, witty and determined woman,, who loves to read and suffers the monotony of the English countryside where she grew up. Deeply attached to her younger sister and her father, she still mourns the death of her beloved mother.
Aidon Barrington inherited his family's funeral furnishings business. Once a charming libertine, a frequenter of high society and the protagonist of numerous scandal sheets, he has lost himself in the process, becoming a shadow of his former self. A reserved and standoffish man, serious and focused on business, marked by a troubled past. A person who continues to appear in scandal sheets as the mysterious Lord of the Dead, the subject of dark and ominous rumors.
The relationship between Persephone and Aidon is wonderful! They don't get off to the best start: Penelope goes to Gallowsgate, the old Barrington estate, on a simple errand and here she unexpectedly runs into Aidon, in a meeting with a disastrous outcome. Suddenly on the brink of ruin, with no other way to silence the village rumor mill and save her sister's reputation, Persephone agrees to marry Aidon, in an unexpected marriage of convenience meant to help them both. I love the arranged marriage trope, and in this case I found it beautifully developed! Their sizzling interactions, their witty and teasing banter, had me swooning. Persephone and Aidon don't know each other, but over the course of the story they get to get closer, confide in, understand and support each other, falling deeply in love.
I admit that I had spotted the various plot twists of the book in advance and perhaps I would have expected something more, however, this does not affect my overall enjoyment.
All in all, this is a lovely and funny book that I recommend to lovers of the genre!
Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Lovely, simple and funny book, which entertained and relaxed me a lot!
The brisk, effervescent writing, fast pace and short chapters kept me glued to the pages. I got to the end without almost realizing it gosh! I enjoyed the pleasant descriptions (especially those of the English countryside), the brilliant dialogues, and the lighthearted atmosphere of the book! It is a novel that put me in a good mood and for a few hours managed to transport me away from everyday life, enveloping me in a serene and cozy bubble.
I liked Aidon and Persephone, protagonists with their respective third person povs, a lot! Persephone Honeyfield is an intelligent, witty and determined woman,, who loves to read and suffers the monotony of the English countryside where she grew up. Deeply attached to her younger sister and her father, she still mourns the death of her beloved mother.
Aidon Barrington inherited his family's funeral furnishings business. Once a charming libertine, a frequenter of high society and the protagonist of numerous scandal sheets, he has lost himself in the process, becoming a shadow of his former self. A reserved and standoffish man, serious and focused on business, marked by a troubled past. A person who continues to appear in scandal sheets as the mysterious Lord of the Dead, the subject of dark and ominous rumors.
The relationship between Persephone and Aidon is wonderful! They don't get off to the best start: Penelope goes to Gallowsgate, the old Barrington estate, on a simple errand and here she unexpectedly runs into Aidon, in a meeting with a disastrous outcome. Suddenly on the brink of ruin, with no other way to silence the village rumor mill and save her sister's reputation, Persephone agrees to marry Aidon, in an unexpected marriage of convenience meant to help them both. I love the arranged marriage trope, and in this case I found it beautifully developed! Their sizzling interactions, their witty and teasing banter, had me swooning. Persephone and Aidon don't know each other, but over the course of the story they get to get closer, confide in, understand and support each other, falling deeply in love.
I admit that I had spotted the various plot twists of the book in advance and perhaps I would have expected something more, however, this does not affect my overall enjoyment.
All in all, this is a lovely and funny book that I recommend to lovers of the genre!
Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 17, 2025
The Temple of Persephone is one of the most unique historical romances I have had the pleasure of reading recently. To me this book has the same vibe of Mexican Gothic. Honeyfield is too pretty, too cloyingly sweet and perfect, yet there's something insidious that lurks like honeycomb and dripping honey behind walls. Gallowsgate is more openly dark and there's the suspense of searching for a book and opening up each room to see what skeletons are buried there, only to realize they're all in plain view.
Amid the swirling of the past and the present, a new marriage, matchmaking for friends that creates a rift of tension between Persephone and Aidon, and an impish older brother that stirs up more drama, Isabella Kamal sets the stage much in the way a Shakespearean play would unfold.
I also found the connection between Persephone and Aidon's mothers compelling, not only as a thread of fate, but it's an echo of that same cautionary, ominous note that hangs in the air throughout the story, of a too-controlling man and not letting the past repeat itself in the present. There is a current of grief amid the colorful wildflowers from the start, even in the tableau of innocence with Persephone searching for a book and going to Aidon's house, and falling off the ladder.
After all, Eve only needed to find an apple and take one bite. Innocent actions can belie other threads of fate, to use Kamal's fondness for the Greek myths. There are other parallels too, Aidon's need to continue the work of his father without understanding why, work that he doesn't necessarily want to be doing, but felt he HAD to, felt very Lucifer-like to me. He doesn't want to be the devil, or The Lord of the Dead, .
This is a story that takes the time to consider the past with the present and builds at a pace consistent with how trapped both characters feel in their emptiness, even when it looks different at Honeyfield than at Gallowsgate.
I look forward to reading whatever Isabella Kamal writes next!
P.S. The steam is fantastic!
Amid the swirling of the past and the present, a new marriage, matchmaking for friends that creates a rift of tension between Persephone and Aidon, and an impish older brother that stirs up more drama, Isabella Kamal sets the stage much in the way a Shakespearean play would unfold.
I also found the connection between Persephone and Aidon's mothers compelling, not only as a thread of fate, but it's an echo of that same cautionary, ominous note that hangs in the air throughout the story, of a too-controlling man and not letting the past repeat itself in the present. There is a current of grief amid the colorful wildflowers from the start, even in the tableau of innocence with Persephone searching for a book and going to Aidon's house, and falling off the ladder.
After all, Eve only needed to find an apple and take one bite. Innocent actions can belie other threads of fate, to use Kamal's fondness for the Greek myths. There are other parallels too, Aidon's need to continue the work of his father without understanding why, work that he doesn't necessarily want to be doing, but felt he HAD to, felt very Lucifer-like to me. He doesn't want to be the devil, or The Lord of the Dead, .
This is a story that takes the time to consider the past with the present and builds at a pace consistent with how trapped both characters feel in their emptiness, even when it looks different at Honeyfield than at Gallowsgate.
I look forward to reading whatever Isabella Kamal writes next!
P.S. The steam is fantastic!
May 18, 2024
The temple of Persephone ( received ARC)
Author : Isabella Kamal
Narrator : Susan Duerden
Rating : 4/5
Storyline : 3.5 /5
Characters : 3/5
Spicy : 3/5
Contain : Death of parents, Gambling
Fl: Persephone honeyfield
Ml: aiden Barrington (lord of the dead), 2nd son
Persephone has a sister venus (beautiful sister) and father who is a barrien. She loves book like her mother who also like her.
She was looking for a book that was annotated by her mother.
Her father told her that bool was in the library of Aiden 's family home Gallos gate
AIDEN: he work in a funeral furnishings and thats the reason everyone in the ton called him Lord of death.
He has a brother who gamble and ask money from him for gambling after he lost all of his allowance . His mother and father is died. His father before him works in the funeral furnishings and after his death aiden took over.
His father was an ignorant husband and left his wife and son in the Gallos gate.
Their meet cute was interesting. Persephone was in his library to find the book her mother annotated. She did not know aiden was there. When she saw him, she felt from leader and ge caught her before she fell. ( that was sweet)
At that time her father, his friend and gossip monger lady found them in this compromising situation. This led them to marry.
I would like the wedding scenes too.
- beginning was a bit slow but i really like the 2nd half
- his brother was annoying but looks a bit one dimensional
- i was caught off guard by the "Accidental Pregnancy" but i can understand why. ( thats was nice)
- i like the all the insinuation of hades and Persephone ( the pomegranate jewelry, her going home for few days etc)
-Persephone's character is more flush out than Aiden ( her cutting her hair because of stress 👍)
- i love this scene where aiden send a letter to Persephone to explain. In the end of the letter he wrote and cut a sentence.
" I ache for you."
Awww. Thats was sweet☺️
When i was read this book i was imagining "Lore Olympus" (webtoon).
Author : Isabella Kamal
Narrator : Susan Duerden
Rating : 4/5
Storyline : 3.5 /5
Characters : 3/5
Spicy : 3/5
Contain : Death of parents, Gambling
Fl: Persephone honeyfield
Ml: aiden Barrington (lord of the dead), 2nd son
Persephone has a sister venus (beautiful sister) and father who is a barrien. She loves book like her mother who also like her.
She was looking for a book that was annotated by her mother.
Her father told her that bool was in the library of Aiden 's family home Gallos gate
AIDEN: he work in a funeral furnishings and thats the reason everyone in the ton called him Lord of death.
He has a brother who gamble and ask money from him for gambling after he lost all of his allowance . His mother and father is died. His father before him works in the funeral furnishings and after his death aiden took over.
His father was an ignorant husband and left his wife and son in the Gallos gate.
Their meet cute was interesting. Persephone was in his library to find the book her mother annotated. She did not know aiden was there. When she saw him, she felt from leader and ge caught her before she fell. ( that was sweet)
At that time her father, his friend and gossip monger lady found them in this compromising situation. This led them to marry.
I would like the wedding scenes too.
- beginning was a bit slow but i really like the 2nd half
- his brother was annoying but looks a bit one dimensional
- i was caught off guard by the "Accidental Pregnancy" but i can understand why. ( thats was nice)
- i like the all the insinuation of hades and Persephone ( the pomegranate jewelry, her going home for few days etc)
-Persephone's character is more flush out than Aiden ( her cutting her hair because of stress 👍)
- i love this scene where aiden send a letter to Persephone to explain. In the end of the letter he wrote and cut a sentence.
" I ache for you."
Awww. Thats was sweet☺️
When i was read this book i was imagining "Lore Olympus" (webtoon).
February 3, 2024
This book was so unexpectedly good!!! Okay one thing right away I’d like to clear up- I don’t consider this a Hades x Persephone retelling and to be honest this could be my own ignorance but I don’t understand the significance of the “temple” part of the title. The lore of Hades is mentioned in this but it’s more of a tongue in cheek joke in society and eventually between the two characters. I personally liked how it was tied in at the end but it’s really not so much the plot, only in a meta way I guess.
Okay this romance. Normally I dislike historical romances in which a woman is caught with a man and then is “ruined” I hate being reminding of historical misogyny. But the way this plot point was used was in a pretty low pressure situation, they were in the countryside, not in high London society, and they were both okay with it. These are two main characters who have had to solely lean on themselves and no one else and it was so precious that based on their initial chemistry they thought we don’t we try something new and lean on each other.
The way their relationship developed was just chefs kiss. I loved their tentative mutual attraction and how respectful the MMC was toward intimacy. There are minor misunderstandings but they aren’t fully driving the plot.
The spice is wonderful once you make it through the bit of slow burn. It was all so cute until all the sudden MMC is saying hold on to the headboard. Excuse me?! They are just so perfect for each other. He’s a reformed rake but it’s kind of fun cause he brings back some of those aspects but only for her. Another thing I normally dislike in historicals is that imbalance but it works in this book cause it’s been so long for him.
There are other side characters and side plots that were also surprisingly intense. This book ended up covering a lot but at the heart of it was an incredible romance and partners who see each other as equals. Thank you to Blackstone for this eARC!
Okay this romance. Normally I dislike historical romances in which a woman is caught with a man and then is “ruined” I hate being reminding of historical misogyny. But the way this plot point was used was in a pretty low pressure situation, they were in the countryside, not in high London society, and they were both okay with it. These are two main characters who have had to solely lean on themselves and no one else and it was so precious that based on their initial chemistry they thought we don’t we try something new and lean on each other.
The way their relationship developed was just chefs kiss. I loved their tentative mutual attraction and how respectful the MMC was toward intimacy. There are minor misunderstandings but they aren’t fully driving the plot.
The spice is wonderful once you make it through the bit of slow burn. It was all so cute until all the sudden MMC is saying hold on to the headboard. Excuse me?! They are just so perfect for each other. He’s a reformed rake but it’s kind of fun cause he brings back some of those aspects but only for her. Another thing I normally dislike in historicals is that imbalance but it works in this book cause it’s been so long for him.
There are other side characters and side plots that were also surprisingly intense. This book ended up covering a lot but at the heart of it was an incredible romance and partners who see each other as equals. Thank you to Blackstone for this eARC!
April 2, 2024
The Temple of Persephone by Isabella Kamal is a historical romance and the author's debut.
The audiobook is narrated by Susan Duerden, and she does a fabulous job with our dual points of view.
After a fast marriage due to getting caught in a slightly scandalous position, Persephone and Aidon begin the process of getting to know one another. Persephone inherited a love for mythology from her late mother, and Aidon works in the funerary field (his nickname is "the Lord of the Dead").
Aidon's older brother, who declined to take on the family business, is kind of a big creep but I was glad to see how much Persephone stands up for herself. I identified with her a lot.
Her chemistry with Aidon is great and the book gets pretty steamy at times (with several scenes focusing on Persephone and her pleasure). I was glad to see explicit and enthusiastic consent throughout.
I was glad to see this book ended with a hook for a book following Persephone's younger sister, Venus. I look forward to reading that in the future!
If you're a fan of Regency romance or Greek mythology you should give this one a try.
Tropes in this book include: regency, folklore, bluestocking, marriage of convenience, slow burn, open door
I received a copy of this book to review. Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the complimentary audio review copy. All opinions contained herein are my own.
If you want to see more from me, check out my blog, Bookstagram, TheStoryGraph, or Twitter.
The audiobook is narrated by Susan Duerden, and she does a fabulous job with our dual points of view.
After a fast marriage due to getting caught in a slightly scandalous position, Persephone and Aidon begin the process of getting to know one another. Persephone inherited a love for mythology from her late mother, and Aidon works in the funerary field (his nickname is "the Lord of the Dead").
Aidon's older brother, who declined to take on the family business, is kind of a big creep but I was glad to see how much Persephone stands up for herself. I identified with her a lot.
Her chemistry with Aidon is great and the book gets pretty steamy at times (with several scenes focusing on Persephone and her pleasure). I was glad to see explicit and enthusiastic consent throughout.
I was glad to see this book ended with a hook for a book following Persephone's younger sister, Venus. I look forward to reading that in the future!
If you're a fan of Regency romance or Greek mythology you should give this one a try.
Tropes in this book include: regency, folklore, bluestocking, marriage of convenience, slow burn, open door
I received a copy of this book to review. Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the complimentary audio review copy. All opinions contained herein are my own.
If you want to see more from me, check out my blog, Bookstagram, TheStoryGraph, or Twitter.
June 9, 2024
4 stars
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This was a really fun Regency romance - mythologically inspired, that features one of the best meet cute in the history of Regency romances (or romances in general). Sneaking into his library looking for a book? Yes, please! More of that!
The characters were great - including the secondary characters too, although the focus is heavily on the hero and the heroine. We do have a plot throughout the novel, but it's way more character driven as a novel. I do feel like things were not fully completed. Our heroine has some self-esteem issues, our hero has some daddy issues of his own, and they do work on them but it did not feel like a resolute conclusion.
The hero really really really cares about consent. Loved to see that.
There were around 3 spicy scenes or so - but all of them kinda happened in the middle of the novel and there's not much space between them. I think I prefer to have them more distanced throughout the book. I like balance.
It was a really fun read, although a bit repetitive at times - we have a dual POV but fore some reason scenes and words are repeated between the two POVs. And the whole big Lord of the Dark secret? Not so big or interesting. I expected more on that part of the novel. But overall, loved me a Persephone retelling. Eat all the pomegranate seeds, my dear!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This was a really fun Regency romance - mythologically inspired, that features one of the best meet cute in the history of Regency romances (or romances in general). Sneaking into his library looking for a book? Yes, please! More of that!
The characters were great - including the secondary characters too, although the focus is heavily on the hero and the heroine. We do have a plot throughout the novel, but it's way more character driven as a novel. I do feel like things were not fully completed. Our heroine has some self-esteem issues, our hero has some daddy issues of his own, and they do work on them but it did not feel like a resolute conclusion.
The hero really really really cares about consent. Loved to see that.
There were around 3 spicy scenes or so - but all of them kinda happened in the middle of the novel and there's not much space between them. I think I prefer to have them more distanced throughout the book. I like balance.
It was a really fun read, although a bit repetitive at times - we have a dual POV but fore some reason scenes and words are repeated between the two POVs. And the whole big Lord of the Dark secret? Not so big or interesting. I expected more on that part of the novel. But overall, loved me a Persephone retelling. Eat all the pomegranate seeds, my dear!
April 3, 2024
This was such a fun historical romance romp! With my favorite trope thats works so well in historical romance - marriage of convenience (to avoid scandal!). Persephone was an interesting character - I really felt for her and her lack of confidence based on societal norms and expectations. I did think her character arc was a little slow, but appreciated the growth that she showed throughout the story. Aiden was nuanced in a unique way - the Lord of the Dead storyline gave him an extra layer that contributed to his character arc.
There are also some really engaging side characters in this story. Persephone/Aiden's friends who ended up together became an integral part of the story and I thought tying their 'secrets' in to the MCs relationship was interesting and helped to tied the story together. I thought the characters were really compelling and I was drawn to the story overall. The MCs relationship development was well done. I appreciated that each MC had their own POV within the story. This is a very well crafted debut novel!
Overall the narration was well done. There were a few points where I felt that the narrator came across as a bit monotone in their style of delivery which was enough to make me take notice but didn't completely detract from the story as a whole. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ALC to read.
There are also some really engaging side characters in this story. Persephone/Aiden's friends who ended up together became an integral part of the story and I thought tying their 'secrets' in to the MCs relationship was interesting and helped to tied the story together. I thought the characters were really compelling and I was drawn to the story overall. The MCs relationship development was well done. I appreciated that each MC had their own POV within the story. This is a very well crafted debut novel!
Overall the narration was well done. There were a few points where I felt that the narrator came across as a bit monotone in their style of delivery which was enough to make me take notice but didn't completely detract from the story as a whole. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ALC to read.
February 18, 2024
Persephone Honeyfield knows that she has to marry if she is to escape the monotony of her life. However, she knows that she is no beauty like her sister and feels that the chance of a love match is nearly zero. Yet when Persephone finds herself at Gallowsgate, the old Barrington estate, she has a run-in with Aidon Barrington, the Lord of the Dead. When they are found together, Persephone agrees to marry Aidon, to save her sister's reputation, as well as her own. Soon Persephone finds herself increasingly fascinated by her new husband, whose kind, patient nature stands in stark contrast to the ever-swirling rumors about him. Aidon is not the person who regularly appears in the scandal sheets, but she uncovers that he hides family secrets and a painful past, that threatens the success of their marriage.
Persephone and Aidon were well developed characters, each with their own past hurts which they gradually reveal, as their relationship develops. I enjoyed seeing the two grow in confidence and reveal their true feelings. Whilst it took time for each to overcome their own insecurities, I felt that the story didn’t lag. A great read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Persephone and Aidon were well developed characters, each with their own past hurts which they gradually reveal, as their relationship develops. I enjoyed seeing the two grow in confidence and reveal their true feelings. Whilst it took time for each to overcome their own insecurities, I felt that the story didn’t lag. A great read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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