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Oath of Fire #1
Oath of Fire
This lush and gripping sapphic retelling of the Psyche and Eros legend combines Greek mythology with a fae court feel.
All Psyche ever wanted to do was help people, whether it's in her job as a therapist or online as an influencer. So when a mysterious invitation arrives from the most captivating man she's ever seen, asking for her assistance, she can't refuse. But Psyche soon finds herself in a world of Courts, full of debauchery and treachery, where her only option for survival is to swear a strange oath to a mysterious masked woman named Eros. Now Psyche has to figure out how to fulfill her end of her bargain with Eros, while trying to navigate having a flame-winged goddess show up in her tiny Brooklyn apartment. Uncanny vistas, a spacious mansion, and decadent experiences are all Psyche’s for the taking—so long as she helps Eros, and so long as she never looks under Eros’s mask. But how long can she keep her curiosity at bay when Eros makes her heart tremble?
All Psyche ever wanted to do was help people, whether it's in her job as a therapist or online as an influencer. So when a mysterious invitation arrives from the most captivating man she's ever seen, asking for her assistance, she can't refuse. But Psyche soon finds herself in a world of Courts, full of debauchery and treachery, where her only option for survival is to swear a strange oath to a mysterious masked woman named Eros. Now Psyche has to figure out how to fulfill her end of her bargain with Eros, while trying to navigate having a flame-winged goddess show up in her tiny Brooklyn apartment. Uncanny vistas, a spacious mansion, and decadent experiences are all Psyche’s for the taking—so long as she helps Eros, and so long as she never looks under Eros’s mask. But how long can she keep her curiosity at bay when Eros makes her heart tremble?
352 pages, Paperback
Published August 13, 2024
34 people are currently reading
9213 people want to read
About the author
K. Arsenault Rivera
19 books456 followersPuerto Rico born and New York raised, K is a lifelong fan of all things nerdy. She drew on her love of tabletop gaming for her debut novel, THE TIGER'S DAUGHTER. An out and proud queer, she lives in Brooklyn with her partner.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
June 27, 2024
Oath of Fire is for anyone who likes Greek mythology retellings. This is a sapphic retelling of Psyche and Eros with a fantasy feel to it. At the beginning of the book the main character Psyche has lost another job as a therapist and soon finds herself in another court swearing herself to Eros. I thought this was very fast-paced and had instant lust where both Psyche and Eros instantly want to be with each other. The characters were the most compelling and interesting aspect and I liked the back story and getting to know more about each one. The character development was good and made sense for the characters. The video game aspect was really cool and I liked the mask aspect and how Psyche saw Eros without it. The worldbuilding aspect on the other hand was very confusing, I had no idea what was going on and the stakes so I just focused on the relationship and had a good fast paced read.
3.45/5
3.45/5
October 23, 2025
I just don't think Mythology retellings are for me. It was fine but didn't hold my attention to no one's fault but my own.
August 23, 2024
2.75/5
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Going into this book, I was excited as I thought the concept of the book was really cool. However, the execution of it did not meet my expectations.
I did think the video games and streaming were a cool addition, I do think that it ended up being a small portion of the book and more could have been explored with that.
I felt like the world building was confusing/lacking and there were several parts in the book that I didn't fully understand what was going on. I think the story being in third person made it more confusing. I'm not sure if some of my confusion comes from not knowing much about Psyche and
Eros and greek mythology in general.
I'm sure there are people out there who would enjoy this book. Unfortunately, it ended up not being for me.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Going into this book, I was excited as I thought the concept of the book was really cool. However, the execution of it did not meet my expectations.
I did think the video games and streaming were a cool addition, I do think that it ended up being a small portion of the book and more could have been explored with that.
I felt like the world building was confusing/lacking and there were several parts in the book that I didn't fully understand what was going on. I think the story being in third person made it more confusing. I'm not sure if some of my confusion comes from not knowing much about Psyche and
Eros and greek mythology in general.
I'm sure there are people out there who would enjoy this book. Unfortunately, it ended up not being for me.
August 18, 2024
This is one of those books that had an amazing premise but that’s about it. I wanted to like this book, but I just could not connect with the story or the characters. There’s barely any plot and minimal world-building. The writing was odd. I found myself taken out of the story when the author says things like “What do you do when…” in third person. This book ended up being a chore to read. Hopefully others will enjoy it!
July 2, 2025
3.5
this was such a surprise! I'm not usually a fantasy girlie but this just worked for me
this was such a surprise! I'm not usually a fantasy girlie but this just worked for me
August 11, 2024
This book is purely vibes. There isn’t much world building or plot, but the pacing was written so well it kept me turning the page. The book is a very insta love type of story, but boy did I enjoy it! I’m excited to see what kind of adventures the next book will have!
May 24, 2024
Psyche is a therapist and influencer feeling a little lost after losing her job, ruining her reputation, and having issues with her family. When she receives a personal invitation to a mysterious party from an alluring stranger, she figures she has nothing to lose. The party is more than just a little mysterious, as Psyche finds herself thrown into the world of Courts, suddenly surrounded by entirely new worlds, oaths, gods, and plenty of new rules. Among the gods is Eros, the embodiment of passion, desire, and love itself. Eros is instantly drawn to Psyche and her interest is only further piqued by Psyche’s boldness and selflessness, even when it comes to gods, and she immediately swears an oath to protect her. Psyche becomes further entwined with Eros and consequently, the rest of the gods as well.
I should probably preface this by saying I don’t tend to read fantasy. However, I’m willing to give any genre a shot, as long as it’s queer, so I was still interested in this. I thought some aspects ended up falling flat though and probably made it more of a 2.5 star read for me.
One thing I loved was Eros’ devotion to Psyche, but it would’ve been more impactful if their relationship had felt more developed. I get that she’s a god so things are going to play out a little differently and develop more quickly, but as a reader, to feel more invested, I need them to have more of a reason for being so devoted to each other. The oath sort of gets rid of that need but again, from the outside, I need more. Having a deeper development for them would’ve made the more emotional scenes hit harder.
I also had an issue with the occasional overly ornate prose. I could’ve understood if it came more from the gods, but it would just be thrown in completely random, simple scenes like Psyche going to sleep. I did like the way the gods and their Courts were described though. Like I said, I don’t read much fantasy, so I could have easily had difficulty picturing some of the aspects, but I think everything was detailed enough to really allow me to imagine how grand, fantastical, and otherwordly everything looked.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I should probably preface this by saying I don’t tend to read fantasy. However, I’m willing to give any genre a shot, as long as it’s queer, so I was still interested in this. I thought some aspects ended up falling flat though and probably made it more of a 2.5 star read for me.
One thing I loved was Eros’ devotion to Psyche, but it would’ve been more impactful if their relationship had felt more developed. I get that she’s a god so things are going to play out a little differently and develop more quickly, but as a reader, to feel more invested, I need them to have more of a reason for being so devoted to each other. The oath sort of gets rid of that need but again, from the outside, I need more. Having a deeper development for them would’ve made the more emotional scenes hit harder.
I also had an issue with the occasional overly ornate prose. I could’ve understood if it came more from the gods, but it would just be thrown in completely random, simple scenes like Psyche going to sleep. I did like the way the gods and their Courts were described though. Like I said, I don’t read much fantasy, so I could have easily had difficulty picturing some of the aspects, but I think everything was detailed enough to really allow me to imagine how grand, fantastical, and otherwordly everything looked.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 7, 2024
I thought this was just average. I really didn't like the social media aspect of this book, which is a trend with me but I keep hoping a book will do it in a way that is less annoying. Aside from the sex scene, this book felt like it was YA. I wasn't a fan of how the god's world coexisted with people in the real world and most people knew about it on the down low, but humans didn't really worship gods. I thought the main character accepted her new reality and fell in love way too quickly. I also felt like there were several times events were just way too convenient, like at the end when Zeus shows up at the very last second to save them.
July 30, 2024
solid 3 ⭐️ book! this was all vibes, barely any plot, and no words building. i did have a fun time reading about Eros and Psyche’s relationship, but i wish we got more back story on the gods and more world building of the courts. this could have been been a great setup for a standalone series, and definitely could have been another 100 pages, but alas
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review
November 13, 2024
5 ⭐
הספר הזה הוא עיבוד מחודש של המיתולוגיה של ארוס ופסיכה. ואני אישית ממש אוהבת מיתולוגיה יוונית.
הספר הזה פשוט היה מדהים ברמות אחרות, במיוחד אחרי שבספר עשו את הדמות של ארוס כאישה במקום כגבר, אני פשוט התמלאתי אהבה כלפי הספר.
יש בו טוויסט בעלילה ונורא אהבתי את הסיפור, הזרימה הייתה מדהימה, והספר היה משמעותי בשבילי!
שווה לקרוא
הספר הזה הוא עיבוד מחודש של המיתולוגיה של ארוס ופסיכה. ואני אישית ממש אוהבת מיתולוגיה יוונית.
הספר הזה פשוט היה מדהים ברמות אחרות, במיוחד אחרי שבספר עשו את הדמות של ארוס כאישה במקום כגבר, אני פשוט התמלאתי אהבה כלפי הספר.
יש בו טוויסט בעלילה ונורא אהבתי את הסיפור, הזרימה הייתה מדהימה, והספר היה משמעותי בשבילי!
שווה לקרוא
October 28, 2024
This was a greek mythology retell as kinda a fantasy and it was okay! If you are someone who is into greek mythology i could see you liking this more than me. Didn’t hate it didn’t love it, was just kinda mid
Read
September 30, 2025DNF @ 20%. Palatable for as long as I read it, but I have the sneaking suspicion the book doesn’t understand how annoying Psyche’s codependent-millennial-Instagram therapist shtick is (or worse, that it might not be a shtick at all).
I’m also not generally a romantasy person, so this book is probably just Not For Me. Fwiw I would comp it to The Fae Queen’s Captive by Sierra Simone - in case that IS what someone is looking for.
I’m also not generally a romantasy person, so this book is probably just Not For Me. Fwiw I would comp it to The Fae Queen’s Captive by Sierra Simone - in case that IS what someone is looking for.
August 1, 2024
3.2⭐️ i liked the retelling but if you don’t know the myth it doesn’t make sense. the magic building was never explained properly so it made everything convoluted
June 25, 2024
I read an eARC on NetGalley on 6/24/2024 in exchange for nothing, because I have no clout, but it was free for a couple days and I love that for me. 2/5 stars. Some spoilers.
The short version (no spoilers):
I like the concept better than the execution. The worldbuilding is confusing and not well explained though it has some interesting concepts I would've liked to explore. There is no clear overarching plot which is an issue because it means the last 25% of the book feels entirely disconnected from the first 75%. The set up is confusing and flimsy. Psyche, the main character, feels empty for large portions of the book, and I was a lot more interested in the love interest, Eros. I like the moodiness of the story, I like the ideas behind some of the worldbuilding, I like that it's sapphic, and I really like Eros. My main hope would be that another editor sees this before it goes to print.
The long version (spoilers):
I'm not usually a Greek retelling kind of girl so I wasn't sure what to expect but I saw that it was sapphic and decided to give it a go.
The characters are hit or miss. I like Eros more than I like Psyche which is strange because the story is told from Psyche's POV. Psyche does not make much sense to me as a character. We learn throughout the story that she is one of three sisters and the family screw-up. When she was younger her mother got sick and then her father disengaged and she allegedly became used to trying to hold her family together. She apparently used to actually party when she was younger but gave that up because...I'm honestly not sure? Not because of her mom's death, because that was before. At the beginning of the story Psyche is a therapist and part-time influencer who cannot hold down a job for more than a year, she attained her current therapy job through her sister's connections and spends her days pretty lonely outside of when she plays video games with online friends. She gets fired in chapter one for violating patient confidentiality – which, as a side note, is incredibly dumb – but that never feels like something momentous? The thing is nothing really seems to matter when she's involved. She gets fired but then she starts streaming while she plays video games and suddenly paying her rent or bills is no longer an issue. In fact she becomes successful streaming her gameplay almost instantaneously, which means any anxiety we may have had about her situation is immediately discarded. We get told she has weird relationships with her sisters but then those don't seem to be addressed or resolved or really play any role in the story, they're just there? It's strangely vapid. Psyche just feels empty for large portions of the story. She has anxiety at the beginning but that gets resolved and now she can talk back to and negotiate with gods because....I am honestly unsure.
Eros, like I mentioned before, is a more compelling character to me. I think the thing about her is that she seems to actually have a purpose in life, as lonely as it is. She seems to be incredibly lonely and self critical because, as she points out, love and passion can bring joy but they can bring about destruction too when someone makes a foolish decision in the name of passion. Her job actually causes some people pain, which can certainly take a toll. I honestly just want to learn more about her job and her dynamics with her family and the politics of the court of the gods. Also there's this interesting moment where Eros "tests" Psyche by trying to seduce her rather than continue their friendship. Psyche that she can never be sure of people's love for her because she is a goddess of love and passion, ergo everyone feels love for her but it is not real love because they don't choose to do so they are simply compelled to do so because of WHAT she is, not WHO she is. I think that's interesting, and again I think Eros is interesting, but I just. I don't understand why she likes Psyche, especially at the beginning. We are told later it was love-at-first-sight. My thing is though that I can accept gods and magic, but I just draw the line at insta-love, especially when it's as flimsy as the one in this story.
Let's get into the setup. Eros and Psyche meet because Zephyr, another god, invites Psyche to a party because he says he wants Psyche to help his friend Eros. It is VERY unclear why Zephyr does that though. Zephyr says he wants Psyche to help Eros, but it is unclear what kind of help she could provide, or why Psyche even agrees to go. Zephyr doesn't even frame it as "oh I want my friend to start therapy" it's just a "hey come to this sexy party to help my friend" and Psyche just agrees? Also allegedly it wasn't a coincidence, and it was one of Psyche's online friends who got her invited to the gods' party, but that's also just a strange choice because...why would you want your friend to attend a party and enter a world where she could very easily die?? And why would Zephyr agree?? It's just very flimsy. Honestly if the author had written Psyche to be devastated at losing her job which leads her to say "fuck it" and attend a club where she meets Zephyr, who invites her to an afterparty where she meets Eros, that would make more sense to me. Zephyr would lead her away because maybe the gods bring humans in for entertainment, which fits into the toying-with-humanity-thing the Greek gods seem to love. Being devastated at losing her job could also explain why Psyche would agree to strange deals with magical strangers, but that's not what the author tells us is going on. Instead, the prose tells us that Psyche's actions are guided by the fact that she wants to help people.....but we don't ever really see her help people, especially in the beginning. She doesn't even seem to enjoy her job as a therapist that much. Anyways in this setup Psyche loses Zephyr in this party which means she is no longer under his protection/the gods want to eat her, and Eros has to save her, and they make a magical pact so that they can keep seeing each other. Again, I do not understand why Eros wants to seek her out. After meeting Eros, I get why Psyche attracted to Eros and I get why she wants to learn more about the new world she's discovering, but this setup is just very strange.
Let's get into the worldbuilding, specifically the world of the gods. From the little I remember from the Ancient Greece segment of my 7th grade social studies class I recall being told that the Greek gods were sometimes heavily involved with humanity though it was something to avoid because of the chaos they would bring. I like this idea, I think it leads to interesting tension because there are some rules that the gods are restrained by – there is an overarching Law that applies to them all such as being unable to lie or appear in the human realm unless summoned, and then there is more conditions about when you swear an oath and how breaking that oath can result in actual death, but there do exist loopholes – which leads to a very dangerous game of politics that even a human can play. There's something interesting about having a character that's doing the plot equivalent of being embraced by a lion. It's like you can just imagine the softness and warmth and weight of that embrace but you must also remember that the lion could eat or crush you at any moment. Psyche knows relatively early on and learns even more throughout the story that being with Eros is physically dangerous for her, because she is mortal and the gods could easily kill her because of law or politics or whimsy that she cannot understand. But the problem is it's not just that Psyche doesn't understand everything, it's that the reader also does not understand ANYTHING for a very significant portion of the book. It's very confusing and it means that we don't understand the meaning behind most of what's happening for the first I want to say 35-40%. Gods have Domains and they can rule over them but there are rules about them that are also just not that explained, and also apparently most of humanity doesn't know about the gods being real but also there are enough who do for Psyche to be able to identify and purchase a book about how to summon one of the gods online and have it actually be legit?
I also want to throw out that it's incredibly jarring for the reader to have characters that allegedly are just finding out that Greek gods and magic are real (the world doesn't know they exist, apparently?) but then they seem to just. Readily accept it, with no real transition or question or shock. There is no weight to having characters find out that Greek gods are real, which makes the fantastical element of it all fall flat. But also, if the gods are real I have to also wonder why exactly humanity seems to have abandoned them? There's what I think is a throwaway line about Aphrodite brining hell when there isn't enough of humanity worshipping her – but if the majority of this story is set in modern day NYC, there is no evidence that there is ANY humanity worshipping her, which would cause a problem, right? It's not clear how the Greek gods translate to a modern setting.
I think I've hinted this throughout, but also the plot is just kinda weird. The setup I already discussed was bad. I think I like some of the negotiations around Eros and Psyche's relationship, though I just don't understand why exactly they kept seeing each other. The first 75% of the book is them growing closer/falling in love which was nice enough (because I just like Eros) and the last 25% is Psyche having to go on a side quest so that Aphrodite doesn't kill her and she can get back together with Eros, who's being held hostage behind a magical golden cage. Weird tonal shift, but it feels more similar to what I vaguely remember Greek legends being like (quests and trials into the world of the gods) so I think that's where the meat of the retelling would be. I don't know enough of the original Psyche and Eros story to say anything about it, though I did like that Psyche in that last part was the most interesting she had been in the entire book.
Anyways I'm losing steam. My final thoughts are that I think I see the vision, but I honestly had more fun piecing the story apart than actually reading it.
The short version (no spoilers):
I like the concept better than the execution. The worldbuilding is confusing and not well explained though it has some interesting concepts I would've liked to explore. There is no clear overarching plot which is an issue because it means the last 25% of the book feels entirely disconnected from the first 75%. The set up is confusing and flimsy. Psyche, the main character, feels empty for large portions of the book, and I was a lot more interested in the love interest, Eros. I like the moodiness of the story, I like the ideas behind some of the worldbuilding, I like that it's sapphic, and I really like Eros. My main hope would be that another editor sees this before it goes to print.
The long version (spoilers):
I'm not usually a Greek retelling kind of girl so I wasn't sure what to expect but I saw that it was sapphic and decided to give it a go.
The characters are hit or miss. I like Eros more than I like Psyche which is strange because the story is told from Psyche's POV. Psyche does not make much sense to me as a character. We learn throughout the story that she is one of three sisters and the family screw-up. When she was younger her mother got sick and then her father disengaged and she allegedly became used to trying to hold her family together. She apparently used to actually party when she was younger but gave that up because...I'm honestly not sure? Not because of her mom's death, because that was before. At the beginning of the story Psyche is a therapist and part-time influencer who cannot hold down a job for more than a year, she attained her current therapy job through her sister's connections and spends her days pretty lonely outside of when she plays video games with online friends. She gets fired in chapter one for violating patient confidentiality – which, as a side note, is incredibly dumb – but that never feels like something momentous? The thing is nothing really seems to matter when she's involved. She gets fired but then she starts streaming while she plays video games and suddenly paying her rent or bills is no longer an issue. In fact she becomes successful streaming her gameplay almost instantaneously, which means any anxiety we may have had about her situation is immediately discarded. We get told she has weird relationships with her sisters but then those don't seem to be addressed or resolved or really play any role in the story, they're just there? It's strangely vapid. Psyche just feels empty for large portions of the story. She has anxiety at the beginning but that gets resolved and now she can talk back to and negotiate with gods because....I am honestly unsure.
Eros, like I mentioned before, is a more compelling character to me. I think the thing about her is that she seems to actually have a purpose in life, as lonely as it is. She seems to be incredibly lonely and self critical because, as she points out, love and passion can bring joy but they can bring about destruction too when someone makes a foolish decision in the name of passion. Her job actually causes some people pain, which can certainly take a toll. I honestly just want to learn more about her job and her dynamics with her family and the politics of the court of the gods. Also there's this interesting moment where Eros "tests" Psyche by trying to seduce her rather than continue their friendship. Psyche that she can never be sure of people's love for her because she is a goddess of love and passion, ergo everyone feels love for her but it is not real love because they don't choose to do so they are simply compelled to do so because of WHAT she is, not WHO she is. I think that's interesting, and again I think Eros is interesting, but I just. I don't understand why she likes Psyche, especially at the beginning. We are told later it was love-at-first-sight. My thing is though that I can accept gods and magic, but I just draw the line at insta-love, especially when it's as flimsy as the one in this story.
Let's get into the setup. Eros and Psyche meet because Zephyr, another god, invites Psyche to a party because he says he wants Psyche to help his friend Eros. It is VERY unclear why Zephyr does that though. Zephyr says he wants Psyche to help Eros, but it is unclear what kind of help she could provide, or why Psyche even agrees to go. Zephyr doesn't even frame it as "oh I want my friend to start therapy" it's just a "hey come to this sexy party to help my friend" and Psyche just agrees? Also allegedly it wasn't a coincidence, and it was one of Psyche's online friends who got her invited to the gods' party, but that's also just a strange choice because...why would you want your friend to attend a party and enter a world where she could very easily die?? And why would Zephyr agree?? It's just very flimsy. Honestly if the author had written Psyche to be devastated at losing her job which leads her to say "fuck it" and attend a club where she meets Zephyr, who invites her to an afterparty where she meets Eros, that would make more sense to me. Zephyr would lead her away because maybe the gods bring humans in for entertainment, which fits into the toying-with-humanity-thing the Greek gods seem to love. Being devastated at losing her job could also explain why Psyche would agree to strange deals with magical strangers, but that's not what the author tells us is going on. Instead, the prose tells us that Psyche's actions are guided by the fact that she wants to help people.....but we don't ever really see her help people, especially in the beginning. She doesn't even seem to enjoy her job as a therapist that much. Anyways in this setup Psyche loses Zephyr in this party which means she is no longer under his protection/the gods want to eat her, and Eros has to save her, and they make a magical pact so that they can keep seeing each other. Again, I do not understand why Eros wants to seek her out. After meeting Eros, I get why Psyche attracted to Eros and I get why she wants to learn more about the new world she's discovering, but this setup is just very strange.
Let's get into the worldbuilding, specifically the world of the gods. From the little I remember from the Ancient Greece segment of my 7th grade social studies class I recall being told that the Greek gods were sometimes heavily involved with humanity though it was something to avoid because of the chaos they would bring. I like this idea, I think it leads to interesting tension because there are some rules that the gods are restrained by – there is an overarching Law that applies to them all such as being unable to lie or appear in the human realm unless summoned, and then there is more conditions about when you swear an oath and how breaking that oath can result in actual death, but there do exist loopholes – which leads to a very dangerous game of politics that even a human can play. There's something interesting about having a character that's doing the plot equivalent of being embraced by a lion. It's like you can just imagine the softness and warmth and weight of that embrace but you must also remember that the lion could eat or crush you at any moment. Psyche knows relatively early on and learns even more throughout the story that being with Eros is physically dangerous for her, because she is mortal and the gods could easily kill her because of law or politics or whimsy that she cannot understand. But the problem is it's not just that Psyche doesn't understand everything, it's that the reader also does not understand ANYTHING for a very significant portion of the book. It's very confusing and it means that we don't understand the meaning behind most of what's happening for the first I want to say 35-40%. Gods have Domains and they can rule over them but there are rules about them that are also just not that explained, and also apparently most of humanity doesn't know about the gods being real but also there are enough who do for Psyche to be able to identify and purchase a book about how to summon one of the gods online and have it actually be legit?
I also want to throw out that it's incredibly jarring for the reader to have characters that allegedly are just finding out that Greek gods and magic are real (the world doesn't know they exist, apparently?) but then they seem to just. Readily accept it, with no real transition or question or shock. There is no weight to having characters find out that Greek gods are real, which makes the fantastical element of it all fall flat. But also, if the gods are real I have to also wonder why exactly humanity seems to have abandoned them? There's what I think is a throwaway line about Aphrodite brining hell when there isn't enough of humanity worshipping her – but if the majority of this story is set in modern day NYC, there is no evidence that there is ANY humanity worshipping her, which would cause a problem, right? It's not clear how the Greek gods translate to a modern setting.
I think I've hinted this throughout, but also the plot is just kinda weird. The setup I already discussed was bad. I think I like some of the negotiations around Eros and Psyche's relationship, though I just don't understand why exactly they kept seeing each other. The first 75% of the book is them growing closer/falling in love which was nice enough (because I just like Eros) and the last 25% is Psyche having to go on a side quest so that Aphrodite doesn't kill her and she can get back together with Eros, who's being held hostage behind a magical golden cage. Weird tonal shift, but it feels more similar to what I vaguely remember Greek legends being like (quests and trials into the world of the gods) so I think that's where the meat of the retelling would be. I don't know enough of the original Psyche and Eros story to say anything about it, though I did like that Psyche in that last part was the most interesting she had been in the entire book.
Anyways I'm losing steam. My final thoughts are that I think I see the vision, but I honestly had more fun piecing the story apart than actually reading it.
November 11, 2024
I was really looking forward to reading this retelling, however it was not my cup of tea. I felt it was very anticlimactic, both in the sex and in the story line.
February 28, 2025
Not for me. Plot seemed really captivating at first. Characters and writing was meh.
DNF.
DNF.
April 30, 2025
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book.
Once I read "A lush gripping sapphic retelling of the Psyche and Eros legend, set in a modern-day Fae court" on the back of the book, I was sold. However, I found myself pretty disappointed right away. I liked the writing in a literal sense, sentence structure, word choice. The author wrote in a way that was easy to read and follow. However, I struggled with how the plot unfolded. At times I found myself wondering if I was missing something. Why did Psyche become so accepting of this new world so easily? How do other regular humans have all this knowledge of the gods? Are they Fae or are they Gods?
Some of my questions get answered as the story goes on, I just wish there was a little more world building and clarity on exactly what was going on.
In the second half of the book it definitely started to move a lot quicker as there was a problem to be solved, and solved quickly it did.
Despite Psyche being quick to the draw with Eros, I did like her as a character. Despite the rapid rate at which her character developed, she was still a nice POV to read from.
Overall, it was easy to read and enjoyable enough for me to finish in a few days.
Once I read "A lush gripping sapphic retelling of the Psyche and Eros legend, set in a modern-day Fae court" on the back of the book, I was sold. However, I found myself pretty disappointed right away. I liked the writing in a literal sense, sentence structure, word choice. The author wrote in a way that was easy to read and follow. However, I struggled with how the plot unfolded. At times I found myself wondering if I was missing something. Why did Psyche become so accepting of this new world so easily? How do other regular humans have all this knowledge of the gods? Are they Fae or are they Gods?
Some of my questions get answered as the story goes on, I just wish there was a little more world building and clarity on exactly what was going on.
In the second half of the book it definitely started to move a lot quicker as there was a problem to be solved, and solved quickly it did.
Despite Psyche being quick to the draw with Eros, I did like her as a character. Despite the rapid rate at which her character developed, she was still a nice POV to read from.
Overall, it was easy to read and enjoyable enough for me to finish in a few days.
August 22, 2024
Oath of Fire review
Basically:
I didn't expect that Psyche would be such a bottom
Eros redefines the term "service top"
Love a book with a healthy amount of characters self reflecting and growing themselves
Spoilers:
Overall I loved it. Fae courts was a really cool reimagining of Greek mythology and the relationships between all the Gods. As mentioned above, the exploration of Psyche's and Eros' insecurities and self loathing was really well done and accurate, at least to my experiences dealing with them in my own life. Bottom!Psyche was a pleasant surprise. And there are so many lines of dialogue and philosophical nuggets that I will be taking with me. Looking forward to book 2!
Basically:
I didn't expect that Psyche would be such a bottom
Eros redefines the term "service top"
Love a book with a healthy amount of characters self reflecting and growing themselves
Spoilers:
Overall I loved it. Fae courts was a really cool reimagining of Greek mythology and the relationships between all the Gods. As mentioned above, the exploration of Psyche's and Eros' insecurities and self loathing was really well done and accurate, at least to my experiences dealing with them in my own life. Bottom!Psyche was a pleasant surprise. And there are so many lines of dialogue and philosophical nuggets that I will be taking with me. Looking forward to book 2!
July 25, 2024
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Oath of Fire by K. Arsenault Rivera is a third person-POV contemporary fantasy Sapphic reimagining of Psyche and Eros. When therapist Psyche loses her job due to a review from a client, she is invited to the Court of Fire, run by Eros. Taking an immediate liking to Psyche, Eros keeps visiting her and the two strike up a deal to wait two months before sleeping with each other.
I’m a big fan of Psyche and Eros and its fairy tale trope (shared with The Polar Bear King) so I was excited to dig my teeth into this. Oath of Fire takes a bit of an Eyes Wide Shut approach in that there is a party that is invitation only and there’s an erotic edge to it. The parties are stated to be a one-time-only thing, so you better enjoy it because you won’t get another chance, which Psyche both does and doesn’t follow as she doesn’t return to the party independent of Eros.
Eros is a gender flipped version of the Eros of Greek mythology with some references to her mother, Aphrodite, and other family members but it doesn’t play a very big part. Most of the names of the gods only come up when it’s relevant and there aren’t any references to the Trojan War or any of the other exploits of Eros (such as the Minotaur). I love Greek mythology, so I wasn’t lost with any of the references that were there, but I think it is easily accessible to readers who are only somewhat acquainted with the Olympian family tree. The gods’ realms are referred to as ‘Courts’ and there are oaths with strict rules that feel more akin to fairy contracts of Celtic folklore. rather than Greek myth ones.
Psyche and Eros forge an emotional connection over a physical connection for the first half of the novel. While they are very much attracted to each other, Psyche chooses to prioritize the emotional aspect and Eros agrees and forms a contract with her to wait awhile. They are apart a decent chunk of the time, Psyche doing things in the mortal realm and Eros presumably doing tasks for Aphrodite or the Court of Fire. I liked that they took their time to know each other and how Eros wears a mask the entire time, creating a sense of mystique that both draws Eros closer and keeps her apart from Psyche.
I would recommend this to fans of the myth of Psyche and Eros, readers looking for gender flipped contemporary reimaginings of Greek myths and those looking for a Sapphic romance with an Eyes Wide Shut bent.
Oath of Fire by K. Arsenault Rivera is a third person-POV contemporary fantasy Sapphic reimagining of Psyche and Eros. When therapist Psyche loses her job due to a review from a client, she is invited to the Court of Fire, run by Eros. Taking an immediate liking to Psyche, Eros keeps visiting her and the two strike up a deal to wait two months before sleeping with each other.
I’m a big fan of Psyche and Eros and its fairy tale trope (shared with The Polar Bear King) so I was excited to dig my teeth into this. Oath of Fire takes a bit of an Eyes Wide Shut approach in that there is a party that is invitation only and there’s an erotic edge to it. The parties are stated to be a one-time-only thing, so you better enjoy it because you won’t get another chance, which Psyche both does and doesn’t follow as she doesn’t return to the party independent of Eros.
Eros is a gender flipped version of the Eros of Greek mythology with some references to her mother, Aphrodite, and other family members but it doesn’t play a very big part. Most of the names of the gods only come up when it’s relevant and there aren’t any references to the Trojan War or any of the other exploits of Eros (such as the Minotaur). I love Greek mythology, so I wasn’t lost with any of the references that were there, but I think it is easily accessible to readers who are only somewhat acquainted with the Olympian family tree. The gods’ realms are referred to as ‘Courts’ and there are oaths with strict rules that feel more akin to fairy contracts of Celtic folklore. rather than Greek myth ones.
Psyche and Eros forge an emotional connection over a physical connection for the first half of the novel. While they are very much attracted to each other, Psyche chooses to prioritize the emotional aspect and Eros agrees and forms a contract with her to wait awhile. They are apart a decent chunk of the time, Psyche doing things in the mortal realm and Eros presumably doing tasks for Aphrodite or the Court of Fire. I liked that they took their time to know each other and how Eros wears a mask the entire time, creating a sense of mystique that both draws Eros closer and keeps her apart from Psyche.
I would recommend this to fans of the myth of Psyche and Eros, readers looking for gender flipped contemporary reimaginings of Greek myths and those looking for a Sapphic romance with an Eyes Wide Shut bent.
June 20, 2025
I can’t believe I read this book lol it’s ridiculous!
I thought this was a different book when I rented it from the library. When I got home and I actually read the description, I thought ‘oh I should not have borrowed this.’ Well, I read the first chapter, and I suppose you could say it was captivating enough to keep reading. The same way a soap opera tends to be in the dentist office waiting room.
Firstly, the back of the book says this is set in a fae court? They certainly seemed like faeries to me, but when our human mc Psyche asks sexy arch angel simp Eros what she is, she says they’re gods???? Fae is never once said in the book??? So like what the fuck are you talking about??
Oh, by the way, Psyche is a therapist (of course) and an influencer (lol) and in the very first scene, we learn she’s getting fired because she OUTED her underage trans patient to their parents! Why on earth would a queer book introduce their main character this way? What did this accomplish? She could have been fired for anything. Her character is not supposed to be transphobic; I guess the message was “there’s nuance to everything! Just because someone did one shitty thing doesn’t mean they’re shitty!” Like sure I guess? But why did you make your fake queer therapist be so thoughtless and stupid that they come off as a terf? Do you want me to think your main character is bad at her job? And the book acts like it’s gonna be a big deal but other than getting fired she faced no consequences. She still has a bunch of followers and doesn’t seem in any hurry to get a new job. Idk just very odd decision for an author to make in a queer book.
And the romance 🙄. Listen I’ve been looking for a hot lesbian arch angel simp romantasy but you’re telling me this god fell in love with this idiot therapist at first sight enough to swear a love oath sincerely???? Like at least Edward thought about eating Bella for a couple weeks… Just nothing was well developed. The characters, the romance, the world, the entire book!
Anyway, it was crazy. It definitely switched things up. I’ve heard such good things about this author’s other book series (Tiger’s Daughter I think?) and I’m stunned. The only reason I finished it I think is because it was so fast paced. Everything that happened in this was just so silly. Nonsensical. Can’t say I didn’t have any fun though
I thought this was a different book when I rented it from the library. When I got home and I actually read the description, I thought ‘oh I should not have borrowed this.’ Well, I read the first chapter, and I suppose you could say it was captivating enough to keep reading. The same way a soap opera tends to be in the dentist office waiting room.
Firstly, the back of the book says this is set in a fae court? They certainly seemed like faeries to me, but when our human mc Psyche asks sexy arch angel simp Eros what she is, she says they’re gods???? Fae is never once said in the book??? So like what the fuck are you talking about??
Oh, by the way, Psyche is a therapist (of course) and an influencer (lol) and in the very first scene, we learn she’s getting fired because she OUTED her underage trans patient to their parents! Why on earth would a queer book introduce their main character this way? What did this accomplish? She could have been fired for anything. Her character is not supposed to be transphobic; I guess the message was “there’s nuance to everything! Just because someone did one shitty thing doesn’t mean they’re shitty!” Like sure I guess? But why did you make your fake queer therapist be so thoughtless and stupid that they come off as a terf? Do you want me to think your main character is bad at her job? And the book acts like it’s gonna be a big deal but other than getting fired she faced no consequences. She still has a bunch of followers and doesn’t seem in any hurry to get a new job. Idk just very odd decision for an author to make in a queer book.
And the romance 🙄. Listen I’ve been looking for a hot lesbian arch angel simp romantasy but you’re telling me this god fell in love with this idiot therapist at first sight enough to swear a love oath sincerely???? Like at least Edward thought about eating Bella for a couple weeks… Just nothing was well developed. The characters, the romance, the world, the entire book!
Anyway, it was crazy. It definitely switched things up. I’ve heard such good things about this author’s other book series (Tiger’s Daughter I think?) and I’m stunned. The only reason I finished it I think is because it was so fast paced. Everything that happened in this was just so silly. Nonsensical. Can’t say I didn’t have any fun though
July 16, 2024
Vibes: Eros and Psyche but make it sapphic, urban fantasy, falling down the rabbit hole
Heat Index: 6.5/10
The Basics:
After accepting an invitation by a strange man—with her life in flux—Psyche finds herself caught between Courts... with the best option for survival lying with the mysterious Eros. Swearing a vow to Eros, Psyche must now accommodate the goddess's strange visits... and never look underneath her mask. Which, as she falls head over heels in love with her, becomes more difficult than she expected.
The Review:
I really wanted to love this one—and maybe on another pass I would like it more. There's a lot to like if you click with it: a unique take on Greek Mythology, wlw romance, MASKS, general fae court sensibilities. The setting itself reminded me a lot of earlier paranormal romances with that strong urban fantasy feel.
Where I think I ran into issue was a lack of connection with the main characters. Psych is introduced as a bit vague and lost, which is probably intentional. But it's hard for me to really get invested in her for this reason. Like, yes, it makes sense, but I need someone to invest in, especially since Eros is more opaque. Psyche has to drive this story, right? Here, I was just underwhelmed.
I also found that Eros and Psyche's relationship developed really quickly, and somehow, that made it harder for me to feel the conflict. The central conflict in any Eros and Psyche story is that hidden identity, right? The secrecy, Psyche's desire for what is ultimately stronger emotional intimacy. They were just so connected so quickly in this novel that I didn't really feel that tension.
Plus, it seemed to me that there was less mystery in Eros this time around. The story is more reliant on the mask than the fall of night. I feel like lovers of lower conflict might enjoy this, as it really is a toned down version of Eros and Psyche in a lot of ways. But for me... well. Conflict is key.
The Sex:
There isn't a TON of sex between Eros and Psyche in the book, but what you get is pretty explicit and hot. And aside from that, you see like... random orgies. Which is fun! I did really like the way gender expression was handled between the two of them on a sexual level. It's very normalizing of fluidity, which is rather refreshing.
This wasn't really for me, and I think that has to do both with stylistic and story choices. However, I wouldn't say there's nothing good here. If you're interested in a somewhat softer touch version of Psyche and Eros, or sapphic genderbent retellings, check it out!
Thanks to NetGalley and Forever for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Heat Index: 6.5/10
The Basics:
After accepting an invitation by a strange man—with her life in flux—Psyche finds herself caught between Courts... with the best option for survival lying with the mysterious Eros. Swearing a vow to Eros, Psyche must now accommodate the goddess's strange visits... and never look underneath her mask. Which, as she falls head over heels in love with her, becomes more difficult than she expected.
The Review:
I really wanted to love this one—and maybe on another pass I would like it more. There's a lot to like if you click with it: a unique take on Greek Mythology, wlw romance, MASKS, general fae court sensibilities. The setting itself reminded me a lot of earlier paranormal romances with that strong urban fantasy feel.
Where I think I ran into issue was a lack of connection with the main characters. Psych is introduced as a bit vague and lost, which is probably intentional. But it's hard for me to really get invested in her for this reason. Like, yes, it makes sense, but I need someone to invest in, especially since Eros is more opaque. Psyche has to drive this story, right? Here, I was just underwhelmed.
I also found that Eros and Psyche's relationship developed really quickly, and somehow, that made it harder for me to feel the conflict. The central conflict in any Eros and Psyche story is that hidden identity, right? The secrecy, Psyche's desire for what is ultimately stronger emotional intimacy. They were just so connected so quickly in this novel that I didn't really feel that tension.
Plus, it seemed to me that there was less mystery in Eros this time around. The story is more reliant on the mask than the fall of night. I feel like lovers of lower conflict might enjoy this, as it really is a toned down version of Eros and Psyche in a lot of ways. But for me... well. Conflict is key.
The Sex:
There isn't a TON of sex between Eros and Psyche in the book, but what you get is pretty explicit and hot. And aside from that, you see like... random orgies. Which is fun! I did really like the way gender expression was handled between the two of them on a sexual level. It's very normalizing of fluidity, which is rather refreshing.
This wasn't really for me, and I think that has to do both with stylistic and story choices. However, I wouldn't say there's nothing good here. If you're interested in a somewhat softer touch version of Psyche and Eros, or sapphic genderbent retellings, check it out!
Thanks to NetGalley and Forever for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 16, 2024
I really don't know what to say about this book. Perhaps I am not the target audience for it? However, I refused to DNF and wanted to see how this book played out, what was underneath Eros's mask, would I find out WHY the book is written in third person present POV...?
Let me start with the positive: the writing is good. It's crisp, it's witty. HOWEVER, why (!?!?!) third person present POV? This was incredibly frustrating and annoying and took me out of the book. I thought perhaps we would learn at the end that one of the gods, Zeus, etc. was narrating this story. But no. And maybe it's how Greek mythology of old was written and I'm just an ignoramus.
I also found myself pulled into the story BUT then I would get pushed out in the next chapter. I could never get a feel for who Psyche was. And *this* might be where "the book is not for me" fits. Maybe I am too old to understand her life as an influencer of self help tips and . . . planners ?!!?!? When she goes to set up her livestream, again I almost DNFed because it just felt TOO pop culture for me. I don't know if this book will age well but then maybe it doesn't matter. Psyche had a "real job" that she lost that was the catalyst to the book but then it's over, done. No resolution to it. AND STILL I KEPT READING. I needed answers.
The instalust was the fastest case of IL I've ever read in my life. But then again, Eros is a god who has been around a long time and knows what she wants. But it took me a long time to understand what, if anything, Psyche felt for Eros. Like I said, I could never get a handle on Psyche. She felt very all over the place and maybe that was intentional too.
I enjoyed the last few chapters where the book wrapped up and how Psyche was able to "one up" [redacted]. It proved that being kind to others and treating people well can reap rewards.
Lastly, I was very into Iffy and Artemis's story and may have to pick up the second book to see if they make amends. But please for the love of the gods, do not make it third person present. WHY!?!?!?
Let me start with the positive: the writing is good. It's crisp, it's witty. HOWEVER, why (!?!?!) third person present POV? This was incredibly frustrating and annoying and took me out of the book. I thought perhaps we would learn at the end that one of the gods, Zeus, etc. was narrating this story. But no. And maybe it's how Greek mythology of old was written and I'm just an ignoramus.
I also found myself pulled into the story BUT then I would get pushed out in the next chapter. I could never get a feel for who Psyche was. And *this* might be where "the book is not for me" fits. Maybe I am too old to understand her life as an influencer of self help tips and . . . planners ?!!?!? When she goes to set up her livestream, again I almost DNFed because it just felt TOO pop culture for me. I don't know if this book will age well but then maybe it doesn't matter. Psyche had a "real job" that she lost that was the catalyst to the book but then it's over, done. No resolution to it. AND STILL I KEPT READING. I needed answers.
The instalust was the fastest case of IL I've ever read in my life. But then again, Eros is a god who has been around a long time and knows what she wants. But it took me a long time to understand what, if anything, Psyche felt for Eros. Like I said, I could never get a handle on Psyche. She felt very all over the place and maybe that was intentional too.
I enjoyed the last few chapters where the book wrapped up and how Psyche was able to "one up" [redacted]. It proved that being kind to others and treating people well can reap rewards.
Lastly, I was very into Iffy and Artemis's story and may have to pick up the second book to see if they make amends. But please for the love of the gods, do not make it third person present. WHY!?!?!?
August 21, 2024
Thank you so much to @readforeverpub for the gifted copy!
4.75 stars!
I have so much to say about this book that utterly enthralled me! Let me begin by saying that retellings aren’t usually my cup of tea, however, retellings that I’ve been exposed to aren’t often sapphic urban fantasy.
Our FMC, Psyche, starts off in a seemingly typical version of New York City. A therapist who has had her fair share of trauma, Psyche is terminated for a mistake that she made with the best of intentions. As the book goes on, we learn more about the urban fantasy aspects of this universe, through Psyche’s exposure to it. While this may seem frustrating when compared to other fantasies that have rich world building at the start, I actually enjoyed the glimpses and nuggets of knowledge that the reader learns along with Psyche. I was somewhat confused by this at times, but that was in line with what Psyche was feeling too. Psyche’s role as a therapist is essential to her character and I loved the inclusion of healthy boundaries and communication between her and Eros (not something you always see in fantasy).
The pace of this novel was fast, and precisely what I needed as I was deep in a reading slump. A lot of this is pure vibes, and I loved it. There is a plot, but it takes a backseat to the romance and the overall feel of the book. Definitely an instalove trope, but it makes perfect sense seeing as this is a retelling. This was so different from anything else I’ve read, the journey was so fun and I was just as enamored with the book as Psyche was with Eros. I am beyond excited for the next book in the series (it’s looking like interconnected standalone books - yes!)
4.75 stars!
I have so much to say about this book that utterly enthralled me! Let me begin by saying that retellings aren’t usually my cup of tea, however, retellings that I’ve been exposed to aren’t often sapphic urban fantasy.
Our FMC, Psyche, starts off in a seemingly typical version of New York City. A therapist who has had her fair share of trauma, Psyche is terminated for a mistake that she made with the best of intentions. As the book goes on, we learn more about the urban fantasy aspects of this universe, through Psyche’s exposure to it. While this may seem frustrating when compared to other fantasies that have rich world building at the start, I actually enjoyed the glimpses and nuggets of knowledge that the reader learns along with Psyche. I was somewhat confused by this at times, but that was in line with what Psyche was feeling too. Psyche’s role as a therapist is essential to her character and I loved the inclusion of healthy boundaries and communication between her and Eros (not something you always see in fantasy).
The pace of this novel was fast, and precisely what I needed as I was deep in a reading slump. A lot of this is pure vibes, and I loved it. There is a plot, but it takes a backseat to the romance and the overall feel of the book. Definitely an instalove trope, but it makes perfect sense seeing as this is a retelling. This was so different from anything else I’ve read, the journey was so fun and I was just as enamored with the book as Psyche was with Eros. I am beyond excited for the next book in the series (it’s looking like interconnected standalone books - yes!)
March 5, 2025
As a huge fan of Greek mythology going back to when I was maybe nine or ten years old, I was eager to read this book - somehow, despite reading as much as I do, I didn't have anything on my recent list that was a retelling of any of the Greek myths. This book takes a wildly different turn on things than I expected, but it works very well, showing the gods as something altogether inhuman and dangerous but intriguing and complex, which made them a delight to read. The author did an excellent job balancing that with the main character's life in the real world, which is strangely more rooted in what's happening here and now than most books I've read that take place on Earth. The story itself does a really good job at playing with the original myth, and taking its inevitable course to new and unexpected places - it seems easy to guess where it's going, but once it gets there, it starts a new step on the journey, which led to a surprising ending.
I only have one significant complaint about the book, and it's possible this comes from me reading a great many romance novels over the past few years, but it's that Eros seems so distant from humanity that it's hard to feel for her as part of a romantic couple. I could have spent a whole trilogy hanging out with Psyche, she's great, but Eros's necessary distance kept all the emotional parts from hitting as hard as they could. I understand how this was a result of the world of the story, but still.
All the same, everything else about the book was very good, and it's set up for a sequel featuring some of the minor characters, so I'm very likely to check that out when it arrives.
I only have one significant complaint about the book, and it's possible this comes from me reading a great many romance novels over the past few years, but it's that Eros seems so distant from humanity that it's hard to feel for her as part of a romantic couple. I could have spent a whole trilogy hanging out with Psyche, she's great, but Eros's necessary distance kept all the emotional parts from hitting as hard as they could. I understand how this was a result of the world of the story, but still.
All the same, everything else about the book was very good, and it's set up for a sequel featuring some of the minor characters, so I'm very likely to check that out when it arrives.
August 6, 2024
3.5 stars. A weirdly cozy fantasy romance retelling.
Psyche just wants to help people through her job as a therapist and as an influencer online. She gets a mysterious invitation from a man asking for help, and she can't refuse. But the world of Courts is full of debauchery and treachery and she can only survive by swearing an oath to a masked Eros. As they get to know one another more, they start to have more feelings, but can Psyche resist looking under Eros' mask?
This story on the surface doesn't really seem cozy. However, the writing feels a bit like a fairytale and it allows the reader to be swept into an interesting world. Psyche and Eros are complex characters and we get a taste of their worlds and how they start to love each other.
To me, I think the part where I felt a bit disconnected from the story (basically, I was very aware I was reading a story the whole time rather than being fully immersed in the world) was the biggest drawback. I don't think we got to know Psyche and Eros and much as I would have liked so I wasn't as attached to them as I would have ideally liked for such a character-driven story.
Overall, I did really enjoy this retelling. It's an interesting take on a classic tale and I enjoyed the intermixing of modern life and the Courts. It's a very cozy read, so definitely a good choice for a rainy or snowy day.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for providing an advanced copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
Psyche just wants to help people through her job as a therapist and as an influencer online. She gets a mysterious invitation from a man asking for help, and she can't refuse. But the world of Courts is full of debauchery and treachery and she can only survive by swearing an oath to a masked Eros. As they get to know one another more, they start to have more feelings, but can Psyche resist looking under Eros' mask?
This story on the surface doesn't really seem cozy. However, the writing feels a bit like a fairytale and it allows the reader to be swept into an interesting world. Psyche and Eros are complex characters and we get a taste of their worlds and how they start to love each other.
To me, I think the part where I felt a bit disconnected from the story (basically, I was very aware I was reading a story the whole time rather than being fully immersed in the world) was the biggest drawback. I don't think we got to know Psyche and Eros and much as I would have liked so I wasn't as attached to them as I would have ideally liked for such a character-driven story.
Overall, I did really enjoy this retelling. It's an interesting take on a classic tale and I enjoyed the intermixing of modern life and the Courts. It's a very cozy read, so definitely a good choice for a rainy or snowy day.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for providing an advanced copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
August 21, 2024
I would like to start this review off a bit differently than I normally do. I applied for this book as an arc from netgalley and was lucky enough to be chosen. Even though the premise of the book was interesting enough for me to request, when I started reading the book, I literally only remembered that it was a Psyche and Eros retelling.
Psyche loves to help people, it doesn’t matter how she does it, what platform or audience she has. After an upsetting event, she gets a mystery invitation to help a charming strangers friend and Psyche could not refuse. When she arrives at the strange court, she meets Eros, a masked woman who needs the help. In order to help Eros, Psyche swear an oath to Eros. Now, Psyche has to figure out how to honor her oath while trying to not fall for Eros.
I personally don’t know much about Psyche and Eros so I essentially came in blind. I did not remember that this was going to be a sapphic love story so when Eros was introduced, I was very pleasantly surprised. I personally liked how the story was set in modern times but I did find parts of it to be a bit unrealistic. Everyone just magically accepts Eros even though she is a strange masked woman who has absolutely zero knowledge of anything related to the modern world. The banter between Psyche and Eros was fun to read. I did like how we got to see some other courts but I wish there were more courts we got to visit. The book wasn’t the most serious so I found it to be a relaxing book where I don’t have to think really hard or worry a lot.
Psyche loves to help people, it doesn’t matter how she does it, what platform or audience she has. After an upsetting event, she gets a mystery invitation to help a charming strangers friend and Psyche could not refuse. When she arrives at the strange court, she meets Eros, a masked woman who needs the help. In order to help Eros, Psyche swear an oath to Eros. Now, Psyche has to figure out how to honor her oath while trying to not fall for Eros.
I personally don’t know much about Psyche and Eros so I essentially came in blind. I did not remember that this was going to be a sapphic love story so when Eros was introduced, I was very pleasantly surprised. I personally liked how the story was set in modern times but I did find parts of it to be a bit unrealistic. Everyone just magically accepts Eros even though she is a strange masked woman who has absolutely zero knowledge of anything related to the modern world. The banter between Psyche and Eros was fun to read. I did like how we got to see some other courts but I wish there were more courts we got to visit. The book wasn’t the most serious so I found it to be a relaxing book where I don’t have to think really hard or worry a lot.
June 12, 2024
A cool world here, and I love to see messy sapphics!
I’m torn on this book because while I liked the premise a lot, and the author is deft at their craft (I enjoyed their earlier book The Tiger’s Daughter a lot!), this one could have really used a better edit. And by that I don’t mean proofread, I mean it needed some set of fresh eyes to catch the inconsistencies in character development.
All the way up to 50%, I still didn’t have a good idea of what made Psyche who she was and there were a lot of missed opportunities to tell the reader what was in her head. For example, when she throws Eros out in chapter 12 or 13, I don’t know whether it’s because Eros has just discounted Psyche’s statement, or because Psyche is mad that Eros has put her through a sort of test, or something else.
Another missed opportunity is Psyche’s sisters: they are mentioned a lot and are on page some, but when Psyche tells Eros about her sisters and their relationship, none of that is on page so we the reader don’t know.
Character-building and my understanding of their motivations is one of the most important things to me when reading, so the weaknesses of this book hit right where it matters (to me). If you have other priorities when reading, the book is worth checking out, and the author is definitely worth keeping an eye on.
I got an advance review copy from the publisher and netgalley, opinions are my own.
I’m torn on this book because while I liked the premise a lot, and the author is deft at their craft (I enjoyed their earlier book The Tiger’s Daughter a lot!), this one could have really used a better edit. And by that I don’t mean proofread, I mean it needed some set of fresh eyes to catch the inconsistencies in character development.
All the way up to 50%, I still didn’t have a good idea of what made Psyche who she was and there were a lot of missed opportunities to tell the reader what was in her head. For example, when she throws Eros out in chapter 12 or 13, I don’t know whether it’s because Eros has just discounted Psyche’s statement, or because Psyche is mad that Eros has put her through a sort of test, or something else.
Another missed opportunity is Psyche’s sisters: they are mentioned a lot and are on page some, but when Psyche tells Eros about her sisters and their relationship, none of that is on page so we the reader don’t know.
Character-building and my understanding of their motivations is one of the most important things to me when reading, so the weaknesses of this book hit right where it matters (to me). If you have other priorities when reading, the book is worth checking out, and the author is definitely worth keeping an eye on.
I got an advance review copy from the publisher and netgalley, opinions are my own.
August 23, 2024
This book is a fever dream and I honestly loved that about it. I know that won't work for everyone but it was rooted enough for my in reality to just go with the flow as the real world slowly devolved as the main character Psyche interacted more with Eros.
I loved that this was a fantasy in which the world builds at the same time for us as it does the MC. Psyche is just existing in city life, getting eaten up and spat out with being recently fired from her job. No magic to be had. Then she gets an invite and decides to go to an exclusive party and that's when we get to see that this world is not what it seems. Again I just went along with the insanity and it was never confusing, the prose is straightforward and literal in my opinion, but the plot starts mixing the God world with the human world and it's just a ride.
My reason for 4 stars is that unfortunately the love was a bit insta-love in a "not like other girls way". I can read and like insta-love, I hate slow burns. And yet this one wasn't sold enough to me as it seemed the reason Eros was so interested in Psyche that way was due to how Psyche didn't act like "everyone else" upon first meeting her. I just needed a bit more even though I did eventually love them together.
I appreciated Psyche being that boy who cried wolf/black sheep of her family. I am withholding more specifics of the plot because I think it's fun to just experience this book if you're interested! Thank you to Forever for the ARC.
I loved that this was a fantasy in which the world builds at the same time for us as it does the MC. Psyche is just existing in city life, getting eaten up and spat out with being recently fired from her job. No magic to be had. Then she gets an invite and decides to go to an exclusive party and that's when we get to see that this world is not what it seems. Again I just went along with the insanity and it was never confusing, the prose is straightforward and literal in my opinion, but the plot starts mixing the God world with the human world and it's just a ride.
My reason for 4 stars is that unfortunately the love was a bit insta-love in a "not like other girls way". I can read and like insta-love, I hate slow burns. And yet this one wasn't sold enough to me as it seemed the reason Eros was so interested in Psyche that way was due to how Psyche didn't act like "everyone else" upon first meeting her. I just needed a bit more even though I did eventually love them together.
I appreciated Psyche being that boy who cried wolf/black sheep of her family. I am withholding more specifics of the plot because I think it's fun to just experience this book if you're interested! Thank you to Forever for the ARC.
July 26, 2024
2/5 ⭐️
Spiciness: 3/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to review this ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.
I liked the idea of this story. A Psyche/Eros telling but make it LGBTQ+? Sign me up. Multiple almost Fae-ish courts that are ruled by different Kings/Queens? Cool. But it just was not a love for me like I had hoped. The ideas of this book were really good and interesting, but it just wasn't for me!
I had some trouble getting into this book. Our main character, Psyche, is a psychiatrist and influencer and gamer girl who has all of these successful family members but she keeps losing her jobs. And lets just say she loses her most recent job because she violates patient confidentiality and essentially outs a transgender patient to her family. She kind of gives me the ick and I do not like her. This is within the first chapter, and I just had trouble looking past that for the whole of the story.
General tropes/themes
- Psyche/Eros retelling
- LGBTQ+
- Modern day
- Third person narrative
I usually love a good Greek retelling but the world building was just not as strong as I like to read about. It seemed stilted and I just had so much trouble getting into it. I feel like motivations weren’t clear. Plus the spoiler and entitled look on Psyche just made me want to strangle her, not route for her.
Spiciness: 3/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to review this ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.
I liked the idea of this story. A Psyche/Eros telling but make it LGBTQ+? Sign me up. Multiple almost Fae-ish courts that are ruled by different Kings/Queens? Cool. But it just was not a love for me like I had hoped. The ideas of this book were really good and interesting, but it just wasn't for me!
I had some trouble getting into this book. Our main character, Psyche, is a psychiatrist and influencer and gamer girl who has all of these successful family members but she keeps losing her jobs. And lets just say she loses her most recent job because she violates patient confidentiality and essentially outs a transgender patient to her family. She kind of gives me the ick and I do not like her. This is within the first chapter, and I just had trouble looking past that for the whole of the story.
General tropes/themes
- Psyche/Eros retelling
- LGBTQ+
- Modern day
- Third person narrative
I usually love a good Greek retelling but the world building was just not as strong as I like to read about. It seemed stilted and I just had so much trouble getting into it. I feel like motivations weren’t clear. Plus the spoiler and entitled look on Psyche just made me want to strangle her, not route for her.
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