Bride of Death

Netherworld Fae #1

by Lexi C. Foss

A Persephone & Hades Retelling with a “Why Choose” Twist

The God of Death says I’m his long-lost bride.
His soul mate.
An Omega who betrayed him two thousand years ago.

He believes my memories are the key to our survival.
Only, they’re memories I no longer possess. Because I’m not who he thinks I am.

I’m Serapina, not Persephone.
A human, not an Omega.
And that knot he keeps talking about? Yeah, that’s not coming anywhere near me.

Except Hades isn’t the only one threatening to claim me with his knot. Morpheus, the God of Dreams, says I belong to him, too.

And don’t even get me started on Maliki, the sexy fae guard in charge of my captivity. That deadly fae has a body crafted in sin and a smirk that makes me question my sanity.

All three men want access to my nest. To my heart. To my mind.

It’s that last part that scares me most. Because if I truly am the Omega that betrayed my own kind, then I’m not worthy of being a Goddess. Let alone their Goddess. And what happens then?

Author’s Bride of Death is book one of the Netherworld Fae trilogy and ends on a cliffhanger.

Genres: Omegaverse, Fantasy, Fae, Why Choose, Mythology, Romance, Paranormal

284 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 16, 2025

About the author

USA Today Bestselling Author Lexi C. Foss loves to travel and write in supernatural worlds. Paranormal romance is her favorite genre, but she dabbles in contemporary romance when she needs a break from the darker side of her mind.

Coffee is her addiction, swimming is her passion, and she has a not-so-secret adoration for eclipse chasing.

Lexi can be found on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could not finish this one. It was just a constant round and round between the main characters of Sera not remembering and Hades constantly saying that she was playing an evil game and having people of his court to try to figure out what her game was. I stopped at 60% until I finally had enough. Which sucks because I quoted liked some of Lexi C Foss’s other books she’s written. Just couldn’t with this one.

[Archa · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was a good read! highly recommend this to rh fans.

[USAF Veteran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book! I can't wait to read the remaining books in the series! Lexi Foss is a master of her craft! After reading 1 of her books, I was hooked! The world building is on point, the romance is swoonworthy, and the relationships and character connections are to die for! Her books are exactly the escape from reality that I needed. I purchased the entire Netherworld Fae series from her store, including an ARC of Knotted Myths! I can't wait to see how Serapina's story ends! I'm obsessed with the magical stories of Lexi Foss💛

[Marisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book wasn’t for me and that’s ok. Sometimes you just don’t vibe. Did I push through the entire thing so I could give a fair review? Yes. Did I check every few pages to see how much longer? Also, yes.

I read the description of the book and it seemed like an interesting concept. Persephone and Hades retellings are not new, especially in the romance and fantasy book world. The concept of it being an omegaverse seemed like a different take.

After reading this, if you had not told me this was a retelling I would have had no idea. The only similarities were the names and it was also barely an omegaverse.

I didn’t vibe with the characters, the plot had a lot of gaps and it just didn’t keep me interested. This is supposed to be a standalone series but it references the previous/connected series the first page of chapter 1. And not subtly: there is a literal link saying that said some of her character development and story happened in the Monsters Universe series. What.

To be fair, that series does sound interesting, but there must be better way.

I don’t think I’ll be continuing this series but I’m sure others will enjoy it.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶

[The_Book_Brat · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Reverse Harem
*Paranormal
*Multi-1st-PoV
*Omegaverse
*Gods
*Greek Mythology
*”Human” FMC
*Familiars
*Mid Burn
*Established Harem (3)
*Book 1 / 3
Hades and Persephone as RH…YES PLEASE 😍😍
This trilogy has a great set of tropes mixed together with strong characters, saucy chemistry and a mythology based plotline - I whizzed through this in one night 😆
Sera is our human trying to make a life for herself in the Netherworld, ruled over by the God himself Hades who happens to believe she’s hosting the soul of his one true love Persephone 🙈 he has a love hate relationship with said sole as he believes she’s the reason omegas have disappeared and honestly it makes him possessive and demanding of her whilst also being completely oblivious 😅 thankfully his cousin Morpheus, God of Dreams, is more reasonable and knows omegas likely need a mate circle and so is willing to share! He’s genuine in his adoration of Sera and is willing to face Hades wrath to give her answers she needs 🥰 then there’s Maliki who will just steal your heart! He’s assigned as her bodyguard and becomes her biggest advocate to protect her and what she wants 😍 Sera has to come to terms with the idea Hades might be right and she’s hosting this troubled soul that’s apparently an omega, without her showing any signs of being one 🙈 at least until one very HAWT frisky night…that might just lead to more than they bargained for 😮

[Seraphia Bunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romance, drama, mythology, and fated mates. This book gives you all of that with slow-burn romance that threatens to heat the pages with the burn of waiting. Serapina carries the soul of Persephone, but she doesn’t remember what her soul has done in a previous life thousands of years ago. Too bad Hades remembers...and holds a grudge towards his once wife, and whom he intends to claim again in this life.
Sera has no idea who Hades is, but he intends to reclaim her as his mate. When he sends his assassin to keep an eye on her, woo her for him, and convince her to marry him (Hades) it creates quite the unexpected dynamic. Add in his cousin Morpheus and you’ve got quite the intriguing story.
This book was so delicious to dive into. I don’t typically go for alpha & omega style stories, but I have to admit that I’m glad I didn’t pass up on this one. The storyline drew me in and kept me page-turning for more. Sera simply being willing to try to remember her omega memories makes her more intriguing and more likeable. I absolutely ate this book up with the promises of slow-burn romance, eventual steamy scenes to come, and secrets being revealed one by one.
This book ends on a mild-cliffhanger, but I’m telling you, you’re going to be eagerly anticipating the next book in this series!

[JackaayReadsallday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oooooooooo
I wish that I could attach emojis or gifs to reviews because I don’t think I can put into words how I feel about this book, but I’ll try… I don’t think there is a book out there, but this author has put out that I haven’t loved… However, these three MMC have me in such a chokehold with their dynamic not only with the FMC but with each other. I love how intertwined they are before they are introduced to Sera. The way that I squealed with that clip hanger… I am so here for the chaos that’s gonna come in book 2. I seriously cannot get over how much I am head over heels with these characters. I love a little murdery MMC but my heart still hurts for these boys! Poor Hades… Getting yanked around by old emotional tethers… And Maliki is the sweetest little assassin… and Morpheus is such a pill, but I am so here for his antics! I don’t know which one is my favorite and that’s the whole point of this genre right? You’re not supposed to choose… So I am here for it! Please give me more ASAP!

[Shelley C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bride of Death👰

Bride of Death is the much awaited story of Hades and Serapina, who Hades suspects is his soulmate Persephone🤔 However, Morpheus, the god of dreams and Maliki, Death’s enforcer have been given him reports as to her innocence. Hades has waited 2000 years to punish his beloved Omega…but what happens when he discovers she’s innocent and unlocking any secrets she may possess puts them on the run?!😳

A great story and world building further on Their Lethal Pet and Monsters Night…though those aren’t needed to be read beforehand, though I’m happy I read them first, as I knew a little of what to expect😊 I eagerly await the next book🙌 I received an advanced copy and willingly leave my honest review ❤️❤️❤️

[Kroxy blue the Phoenix queen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Je devrais probablement détester Hadès. Dès qu'il est question de Seraphina, il prend absolument toutes les mauvaises décisions possibles et comprend tout de travers. Pourtant, contre toute attente, je l'adore. Il est tellement excessif, possessif et maladroit dans sa façon d'aimer que je me retrouve plus souvent à rire de ses paroles qu'à lui en vouloir 😂
Mention spéciale à Maliki qui passe son temps à lui donner de bons conseils, et à Morpheus qui semble avoir compris depuis longtemps que convaincre Hadès lui-même est une cause perdue. Résultat : Maliki est celui qui fait tout le travail avec Sera en ce demandant à quel moment il sera tué pour ça.🤣

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant start to this series. Human Sera (FMC) is trying to start a new life in the Netherworld but Hades (yes the God of Death) believes that she is the reincarnation (in a round about way) of his love Persephone. An old betrayal that she is the cause of blinds him to who she really is. Add to that Fae Assassin/Guard - Maliki and the God of Dreams - Morpheus who all seem to have an attraction to Sera all make for some laughs and some slow burn steaminess. Ah I can't forget Pip who brought a bit of cuteness to this book. An enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to book 2 now.

[TheSugaredBookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the angst and longing!

Oh my goodness!! I absolutely love a Persephone and Hades retelling, and this had a nice twist on it! A RH, amnesia, reincarnation and a bit mystery to figure out. There's so much angst and longing, from each character. I loved how Maliki and Morpheus are so patient with Sera, and how they help tame Hades. And after that epic ending, I need both a cold shower and book 2 like now!

[the_bibliophagist · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a good start to hopefully a great series. I like Sera and how she wants to live a life of her own without help from anyone. I love her ghost familiar and how he tries to help but not always without problems. The plot of this book is great especially with similarities to the myth of Hades and Persephone. There is a book that can be read before this that would help to establish some characters but I don't think it is necessary. I understand everything that was going on without reading it but if I had read it it would make this more enjoyable. Of course, this ends on a cliffhanger and hopefully the next one comes quickly. Overall, good read.

[Rune · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I desperately wish I could read again for the first time! Definitely check the content notes, but if you're following me here, odds are this will scratch an itch or two for you as well!

Spicy and honestly unforgettable. Enjoy! Lexi absolutely slayed with this one. 🤭😉

[Carolanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

another amazing book by lexi! i was so excited for this story to come out and it did not disappoint. i can't wait for the next one in the series!

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

As far as I'm concerned, Lexi C Foss can do no wrong. I adore these magical worlds she creates, I've no idea how she even thinks up these things but it's pure joy to read. This book is an amazing start to what is going to be a fantastic series and I can't wait for book two.

[booklover · Rating 2 out of 5]

weird to write a god (hades) this stupid
way too repetitive
annoying

[Tatiana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited for this book. Such a good concept but the execution was just meh…

[Janice M · Rating 1 out of 5]

This just tanked for me. I love Lexi and I’ve read tons of her books, but this one? I dunno, maybe her heart just wasn’t in it because it was not, in my opinion, up to her usual standards.

I really hated Hades. He was an ass, not at all like a concerned Alpha for his Omega, it was almost like he was a bystander not a participant. Maliki? Not sure about him. My favourite character was Pip.

[Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

Omegaverse. I am a fan of the Greek gods, and I’m wildly disappointed the author went the omega/alpha route with them. I can confidently say this is an “ick” for me and I’ll never pick another one up 🫠

[Kristy W · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed other Lexi Foss books, but this one felt repetitive. I had high hopes for this but found it just meh.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am obsessed! Lexi Foss has given us a Hades and Persephone retelling but with a twist. Bride of Death is in the same universe as the Monsters Night series. Only this book follows Serapina (Sera), Alina's (Their Lethal Pet) sister, as she adjusts to her new life in the Netherworld.


This book has it all. Gods and fae, reincarnation and missing memories, assassins, magic, familiars, and mythology are all in an omegaverse setting. I couldn't ask for more. Due to how she was raised, Sera is very innocent in a lot of ways. She's a softer character but has some sass, which I very much enjoyed. Morpheus, Hades, and Maliki are her love interests. The God of Dreams was very much a charmer. I instantly liked Morpheus, and I may be rooting for him the most. Hades played his role of alphahole extremely well, but I didn’t hate him; he had his reasons. And Maliki is lethal and attentive and completely obsessed with Sera. I loved him.


Oh, the plot was good! Lexi is laying out the foundation of the series. The descriptions were vivid. This world is a Gothic lover's dream. I enjoyed the mythology; Lexi stuck pretty true to what I know of the tale. The major thing is that Hades believes that his mate, Persephone, betrayed him, but no one really knows the truth. As a result of that supposed betrayal, some damage was done. Now that she's been reincarnated, it's up to Sera to deal with the fallout. Sera is amazingly strong. She's never known true freedom, and just when she thought she finally had it, now, she's more trapped than ever because of the past. She could have crumbled, but she stood strong and decided to do what she thought was right. The twist was right at the end, so there's a slight cliffhanger. Nothing too bad. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book. If you're a fan of the Hades and Persephone myth, then this is a must-read.

[Daniele Stephenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down. It is an understatement to say I was hooked from the first few pages. Now I am not a big omega verse fan and have actually steered away from it after a small dip into the world. I had decided it was not for me but then this book came along and the plot just grabbed me and I figured I would give it a try. I’m a huge Greek mythology person so a retelling of Hades and Persephone was a must read. Then the author makes it a why choose and I was thinking nobody could beat out Hades as my favorite but along comes Maliki or Ghost as he is also known by and I just fall for him. We also have Morpheus who is Hades cousin in this story. We combine these three guys and I just love their banter and how they play off of each other.
As for the story I really enjoyed where the author went with it and how Serapina ties into being Persephone. Hades thinks it’s a trick and has Maliki watching her to try and catch her on this lie and we have Morpheus who truly believes her and tries to help and get Hades to realize he is wrong. Oh and her little ghost friend Pip just seems like an adorable little side character and I cannot wait to see more of him hopefully in the next book.
I am very excited to see where the next book takes us after that bit of a cliffhanger in this book. It was horrible but I do want to see what is going to happen next. Anyways. I think this might potentially become a new favorite series of mine and I am going to actually read Serapinas sisters book that is apparently already out. I’m excited to see more about this world and see how it connects to this one while I wait for the next book

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a ride! The Bride of Death completely swept me away from the very first page. Sera is such a brilliant main character; strong, fiery, and so easy to root for. She’s thrown into a world she doesn’t fully understand, yet she refuses to back down or let the gods walk all over her. I loved that mix of vulnerability and sass, it made her feel so real.

Then there’s Hades, dark, intense, and undeniably possessive, but the author gives him such depth that I couldn’t help but be drawn to him as much as Sera is. Malakai absolutely stole my heart too, with his humor, sharp wit, and protective streak (and the way he makes Sera blush? Perfection). And let’s not forget Morpheus, who adds such a fascinating dynamic to the group with his charm and quiet patience. The tension between all of them is sizzling, but it’s also layered with emotion and intrigue, which made it impossible to put the book down.

The world-building was phenomenal; dark, magical, and beautifully immersive. Every new reveal pulled me deeper into the story, and there was the perfect balance of romance, danger, and mystery. Pip deserves a special mention too, because that ghost pup is hands down one of my favourite side characters ever so sweet and loyal, and a total scene-stealer.

This is a slow burn with plenty of heat, twists I didn’t see coming, and a cliffhanger that left me desperate for more. Honestly, it’s everything I want in a fantasy romance; epic, emotional, and completely addictive. A solid 5 stars, and I already can’t wait for the next instalment!

[Paula Sabol (Never Choose Fantasy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bride of Death: A Netherworld Fae Novel by Lexi C. Foss is a loose retelling of Hades and Persephone. Serapina lives in a new reality ruled by Hades the God of Death.  Hades believes she holds the soul of Persephone. However, Morpheus, the god of dreams, also has sights on Serapina and believes her to be quite different from Persephone.  While keeping away from her, Hades requests that his best friend watch over her, who also believes her to be quite different from Persephone. Persephone destroyed their realm by doing something to eliminate all the omegas, thereby driving most alphas feral.  Can Seri find a way to help undo the wrong her soul has caused?  Surrounded by handsome alphas, why hasn't she shown her omega tendencies could Hades be wrong?

   I really enjoyed this book.  Loved the world-building with a unique combination of ABO, faes, gods and goddesses, and alternate realms.  It is slow-burning and low heat, but I think that will change in the next book.  I can't wait to see where these relationships head, despite Hades thinking she is his since Persephone was only mated to him.  Also, there are hints that there is more to Persephone's story including the role her mother played and possible betrayal.  I've always been a sucker for retellings, but Hades and Persephone is one of my favorites, so I am all in on this series.

   If you enjoy books with second chances, reverse harem, alternate realms, betrayals, and ABO nonshifter omegaverses with plenty of suspense and steam that's building then Bride of Death is a must-read!

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

What do you do if you have the soul of a Goddess and dormant Omega genes? Well that is Sera's reality...or at least that's what everyone is telling her is the truth.

So this is a continuation of another series (which I haven't read) but basically this is a mish-mash of a couple different genres –Greek mythology with Hades and Persephone, and an omega verse with Alpha's/Omega's/ Mates/ Knotting ect.

So apparently Sera is now living in the underworld, trying to find her place as a human amongst.. Fae? Yeah, there's also Fae, and spirits, and Morpheus the dream God? Who might also be her mate...



So Sera has Persephone soul inside of her body (but has none of her memories) and in the past the Omega Persephone was mated to the Alpha Hades-and she somehow spirited away? Reincarnated? All of the omega souls to a different world, and because of that now the realms are falling apart.

However, Hades thinks that Sera is lying about not remembering anything and he's trying to force Sera to marry him because he's convinced she is Persephone and is already his mate but he's kind of a big douche about it and steam rolling over her every second.

It's a lot. But might read on because I'm actually hoping Sera is NOT Persephone. 🤞 and that she can be her own person and get with Malakai

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another series Lexi is going to make me obsess over. Typical. This is why I both love and hate getting ARCs of her books because when I inevitably love it, I just immediately want the next one. Oh well. I'll get over it.

In all seriousness, this was a great read. The banter between characters was great and Sera didn't just let Hades steamroll her, which many in her position would do since not many people would tell the literal God of Death no. Morpheus was amusing as hell and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about him trying to get a rise out of Hades while also trying to get through to Hades' thick head since Hades was being so stubborn. I was a little disappointed that only Orcus made an appearance in this book, but there are two more so hopefully we'll see Alina, Reaper, and Flame in one of the next books. They were mentioned---or really, Alina was mentioned---a lot, so I have hopes, but it didn't take away my enjoyment of the story by not having them there.

As for that cliffhanger . . . I've had worse, but that doesn't really make me feel better since it was still quite a cliffhanger. But I do this to myself so I'll just have to (im)patiently wait for the next book.

I would highly recommend, and if you're worried about reading this book because you didn't read or don't remember Their Lethal Pet---which is connected to this series despite being a standalone---don't worry. You don't have to. Anything that you may have needed is said in the book and Lexi does a good job of giving information without spoiling anything if you did happen to want to read the book if you haven't already---which I do recommend. Orcus, Flame, and Reaper are great, just an FYI.

[Jennifer English · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lexi is one of my auto read authors, if she writes it, I read it. I started to read this without finishing the Hell Fae series but from the very beginning I felt like I was missing something, so I went back and finished the series and then jumped back in to this book. Was that actually necessary tho? No, not really, as what I felt I was missing was covered later.

I have to say, this is a much slower burn than what I'm used to with Lexi's books but I think it really makes sense with the way the story flowed. But don't worry, Lexi still brings the spice! I'm still on the fence about whether I like Hades or not cause he's a bit of a donkeys behind, but Morpheous is an absolutely yes, and Maliki is more yes than no but he needs a little more backbone with Hades, like he does with Morpheous.

Sera is a little more complicated to me. To herself, she's just a human but she has these 3 fae men all trying to convince her that she's an Omega. Hades is trying to punish her for her souls previous misdeeds, Maliki is her bodyguard who isn't supposed to want her and Morpheous is all in from the start. She can be fiesty with both Maliki and Morpheous but tends to be more meek with Hades. When she finally learns what Hades thinks her soul did in a past life, she's all in to help fix it, with Maliki and Morpheous doing all they can to help her while Hades continues to be standoffish.

And now we wait on book 2. Is it January yet? LOL

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

ABSOLUTELY ENTHRALLED!!

OMG – I absolutely loved this first book in the Netherworld Fae series. While it is set within the same world as some of Lexi’s other books, it is not necessary to have read them (outside of just reading a fantastic series about another character!). This is a cool, new twist on the Hades/Persephone story.

Seraphina is just a human, albeit a human who now resides in the Netherworld after her best friend and pseudo sister has been mated to her men there. After staying in Hades castle for the last year, Sera decided to do her own thing and get her own place, so while she is working one night at the bar, she meets Maliki who tells her that she is going to be married to Hades – She is infuriated, especially since she never even met him. This whole story revolves around Hades discovering that Seraphina holds Persephone’s soul even though she doesn’t know it – and he both loves and loathes her since she is the reason that all the Omega’s died after she turned against him 2000 years ago or more. And then there is Morpheus, the God of Dreams, who also felt a spark with Persephone but was never allowed to be part of the mate circle since Hades didn’t share. He is determined now to make Hades create a mate circle with Sera.

I cant wait to find out what happens in the next book – the ending in this one set it up for a very, very interesting ride!!!

[countryhuntress01 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gods, Goddesses, and Realm rules oh my⚜️Not only am I excitedly anticipated Book II, I absolutely loveeee Hades & Persephone retellings and Lexi did a phenomenal job with this one🤩 The banter (that may or may not have legitimate anger) simmering between Hades & his cousin Morpheus was well written from Page 1. Seriously, you could totally cut the tension with a 🔪, I mean 45 days?! That’s definitely not a lot of time. I loved that Lexi put her own spin on H&P by having multiple love interests for Sera. Did I mention she doesn’t have a CLUE?! Girl, why? I do have to say, “Ghost” is my favorite 😉 Ohhh and a super cool thing Lexi did? If y'all wanna check out another series of hers, she embedded a link (on ereaders) to one of her series on Page 16😉 It sure caught my eye and I definitely saved to my TBR. I was so intrigued with the interactions between Ghost & Sera, I looked forward to every chapter that had them in it and the total cliffhanger made it all worth it 😍. I also appreciated the little bits of magic and otherworldly terms and rules and such that made the story, Netherworldly. Btw, don’t let Pip cook for yall, he’s cute and he tries but ya know, Soul Yard & all that😂 🥀 All’s fair in life & war as they say, but in the Netherworld, playing dirty takes a whole different meaning 🤫😏