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Warden of Eros
Warden has one mission: Stop Recluse, the city's newest supervillain, from detonating bombs across Eros.
Genesis is one of the worst supervillains Eros has ever seen - destructive, arrogant, not to mention the most irritating person on the planet. But as the new threat draws them together, Genesis' mask starts to unravel, revealing the man underneath the supervillain façade. Warden realises his feelings for Genesis might just be deeper than he thought, even if those feelings could put his very relationship with the police and the media at risk.
In a city wrought with secrets, danger and betrayal, Warden and Genesis must overcome their differences and come to terms with the feelings they've buried in their hearts if they have any hope of defeating Recluse.
After all, Eros needs a hero, and it's running out of time.
Genesis is one of the worst supervillains Eros has ever seen - destructive, arrogant, not to mention the most irritating person on the planet. But as the new threat draws them together, Genesis' mask starts to unravel, revealing the man underneath the supervillain façade. Warden realises his feelings for Genesis might just be deeper than he thought, even if those feelings could put his very relationship with the police and the media at risk.
In a city wrought with secrets, danger and betrayal, Warden and Genesis must overcome their differences and come to terms with the feelings they've buried in their hearts if they have any hope of defeating Recluse.
After all, Eros needs a hero, and it's running out of time.
443 pages, ebook
Published August 14, 2025
35 people are currently reading
293 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 17, 2025
This was a very fun, exciting and sweet book. I love superheroes and im very happy to find a good superhero book. I love the 2 male characters together. They are so sweet. Besides that the book had a lott of amazing twists and turns. Very excited to see what the author is gonna do next
January 10, 2026
This book was at a low 4 stars at the 80ish% mark… then the ending happened.
I liked the book overall, not enough to read again, but enough to satiate my curiosity when I kept seeing it pop up. The overall plot kept me reading and Matteo and Arthur evolving into their relationship and figuring out how to be people together over hero/villain was good.
The iffy:
To start, the writing was good, but not great. I found myself having to reread sentences several times to either understand what the author was saying or get past excessive similes. Once I got used to her writing style I was able to stay immersed in the story. Keeping the character in line was also hard. Between aliases, real names, new people taking over old personas… it was a lot. And some of the plot was hard to keep track of - I think mostly because there was a lot of villains that got new identities and it made the big reveals hard to place since I was trying to keep track of all the characters.
The ‘bad’:
Not so much bad but I didn’t like. I guess I like more suspended realities in fantasy (is this considered fantasy?) books. The fact that the main hero lost his powers in the end was kind of anticlimactic. Honestly the whole ‘save the world’ scene at the end was. What do you mean you get a good fight scene with Recluse for him to turn ‘good’ and join their side, just for Maas to sit behind a screen and coerce Warden into taking the cure or kill Arthur? I understand the trope the author was probably going for - “I’d chose you over the world” - but I don’t think it was well done… or maybe I just don’t like it. I guess it shows Matteo finally snap from his good morals and choose Arthur. But then the battle just… ended. And t was the epilogue.
Which the epilogue was good I guess. Just a bit jarring. Suddenly we’re sitting in Matteo’s mom’s house with his abuela, they meet Arthur and are one big happy family. We see how Matteo is handling the guilt of moving past his hero persona, which like in the story, really would leave him with some guilt that Arthur forces him to talk about.
But what I didn’t like was how throughout the whole story, Warden (and Genesis) was stressing that Genesis couldn’t be a hero anymore cause he had no powers. Then at the end they…. Go back to being heroes? Without powers??? Okay, I guess. Good luck not dying. I guess it just was unrealistic to me… more than anything else already was.
I liked the book overall, not enough to read again, but enough to satiate my curiosity when I kept seeing it pop up. The overall plot kept me reading and Matteo and Arthur evolving into their relationship and figuring out how to be people together over hero/villain was good.
The iffy:
To start, the writing was good, but not great. I found myself having to reread sentences several times to either understand what the author was saying or get past excessive similes. Once I got used to her writing style I was able to stay immersed in the story. Keeping the character in line was also hard. Between aliases, real names, new people taking over old personas… it was a lot. And some of the plot was hard to keep track of - I think mostly because there was a lot of villains that got new identities and it made the big reveals hard to place since I was trying to keep track of all the characters.
The ‘bad’:
Not so much bad but I didn’t like. I guess I like more suspended realities in fantasy (is this considered fantasy?) books. The fact that the main hero lost his powers in the end was kind of anticlimactic. Honestly the whole ‘save the world’ scene at the end was. What do you mean you get a good fight scene with Recluse for him to turn ‘good’ and join their side, just for Maas to sit behind a screen and coerce Warden into taking the cure or kill Arthur? I understand the trope the author was probably going for - “I’d chose you over the world” - but I don’t think it was well done… or maybe I just don’t like it. I guess it shows Matteo finally snap from his good morals and choose Arthur. But then the battle just… ended. And t was the epilogue.
Which the epilogue was good I guess. Just a bit jarring. Suddenly we’re sitting in Matteo’s mom’s house with his abuela, they meet Arthur and are one big happy family. We see how Matteo is handling the guilt of moving past his hero persona, which like in the story, really would leave him with some guilt that Arthur forces him to talk about.
But what I didn’t like was how throughout the whole story, Warden (and Genesis) was stressing that Genesis couldn’t be a hero anymore cause he had no powers. Then at the end they…. Go back to being heroes? Without powers??? Okay, I guess. Good luck not dying. I guess it just was unrealistic to me… more than anything else already was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2025
So going into this, I was really looking forward to this book - queer superhero and supervillain romance? Enemies to lovers? Bi awakening? Right up my alley and easily should have been 4 stars at least.
Ultimately, however, I got a not quite plot that tries hard to be twisty, some superhero shenanigans, but something that was not quite a superhero camp story (which I would have loved) nor a heroic epic with a side of spice (this is VERY white people medium in terms of spice), despite the marketing suggesting it is spicy.
So, I don’t want to give too much away for those who might read this book (spoilers will be after this paragraph), but this reads as fan fiction - and not superhero fan fiction, but rather two guys from another series in a Superhero AU. Now, that wouldn’t be bad in of itself, but if you’re expecting big almost cinematic fights, different power sets, and a ColdFlash-esq romance, prepare to be disappointed. Nor is this a really gritty Daredevil/Batman type genre. And it’s not camp romance mixed with camp superheroes/villains ala Burt Ward and Adam West. And definitely not MHA or anime superhero coded. Nor is it a rom-com. So what is it?
At this, I’m going to talk spoilers, so if you don’t want them, don’t read further:
I would say this is a mix of superhero themes jammed into a book that had to meet a specific word count. In fact, I would say the world building really lacks. The author uses a bang baby type disaster, complete with an evil CEO at the helm, to explain their characters’ powers (stereotypical enhanced strength, durability, some healing, etc - but nothing new done with it), but it’s not really any commentary or anything. Rather, it’s what sets up our characters’ relationships with each other and motives for revenge against Warden.
It’s hard to really sympathize or even really be attached with any of the characters, especially when you know what is going to happen - I guessed the major plot twists in the first couple of pages. There aren’t really any stakes to the characters because you know what’s going to happen. It feels like the author focused more on the plot twists than the plot at times. Mateo and Arthur never really feel like a superhero/villain needing to team up and seeing each other’s side of things. Rather, they (I don’t know the author’s pronouns and wish to be respectful) try to really build up Mateo/Warden as a morally superior character, but it never feels genuine (ie: he didn’t really murder the bad guy, who is already really bad if you look at the shit he did, no, Mateo murdered a worse guy, so Mateo shouldn’t feel bad? Because a superhero that really feels for human life and described by other characters as morally superior shouldn’t feel bad that instead of murdering a corrupt CEO who has either directly or indirectly killed lots of people isn’t near as bad as a serial killer/rapest…). This could have been interesting commentary or at least a plot point driven by the Supervillain and his anti-hero POV, but it’s not…
Speaking of Arthur, we don’t ever really connect to him, possibly because a third of the book he has amnesia, but again, I think the author focused more on that ‘twist’ than the actual goings on in their story. He also has a could be interesting reason to not hate the superhero had that been the focus instead - wanting to make his hero a better hero. But this is told through exposition rather than shown through writing. Flashbacks, mostly.
Beyond all of that, there is a lot of the author trying to latch onto the themes/tropes of most popular superhero franchises without any substance. We have the amnesia trope, women in refrigerator syndrome, the dead lover, very brief bi awakening, the power of friendship, and powers don’t make heroes, the triple identities, to name but a few. But nothing behind them. It’s like throwing everything other superhero stories do except the kitchen sink, but shallower. You never really spend any time with it, the story never settles, the pacing feels off, and there is never a message or commentary behind any of it.
Oh and if you were hoping the real villains get their just desserts or the superhero/anti-hero he their justice, think again. The ending was of course that still a hero despite powers, even though we don’t really get to see that ( although by the time I got to the last chapter, I was skimming it cause I was just done).
In short, this feels like a mess cause it is and it feels like it’s written by someone who either is riding the Marvel hype train but doesn’t really love the material, or by someone who wanted to write fanfiction but make it super. It’s not terrible, but not my thing and I wanted to warn any other superhero/comic fans who were maybe wanting a superhero themed romance.
Ultimately, however, I got a not quite plot that tries hard to be twisty, some superhero shenanigans, but something that was not quite a superhero camp story (which I would have loved) nor a heroic epic with a side of spice (this is VERY white people medium in terms of spice), despite the marketing suggesting it is spicy.
So, I don’t want to give too much away for those who might read this book (spoilers will be after this paragraph), but this reads as fan fiction - and not superhero fan fiction, but rather two guys from another series in a Superhero AU. Now, that wouldn’t be bad in of itself, but if you’re expecting big almost cinematic fights, different power sets, and a ColdFlash-esq romance, prepare to be disappointed. Nor is this a really gritty Daredevil/Batman type genre. And it’s not camp romance mixed with camp superheroes/villains ala Burt Ward and Adam West. And definitely not MHA or anime superhero coded. Nor is it a rom-com. So what is it?
At this, I’m going to talk spoilers, so if you don’t want them, don’t read further:
I would say this is a mix of superhero themes jammed into a book that had to meet a specific word count. In fact, I would say the world building really lacks. The author uses a bang baby type disaster, complete with an evil CEO at the helm, to explain their characters’ powers (stereotypical enhanced strength, durability, some healing, etc - but nothing new done with it), but it’s not really any commentary or anything. Rather, it’s what sets up our characters’ relationships with each other and motives for revenge against Warden.
It’s hard to really sympathize or even really be attached with any of the characters, especially when you know what is going to happen - I guessed the major plot twists in the first couple of pages. There aren’t really any stakes to the characters because you know what’s going to happen. It feels like the author focused more on the plot twists than the plot at times. Mateo and Arthur never really feel like a superhero/villain needing to team up and seeing each other’s side of things. Rather, they (I don’t know the author’s pronouns and wish to be respectful) try to really build up Mateo/Warden as a morally superior character, but it never feels genuine (ie: he didn’t really murder the bad guy, who is already really bad if you look at the shit he did, no, Mateo murdered a worse guy, so Mateo shouldn’t feel bad? Because a superhero that really feels for human life and described by other characters as morally superior shouldn’t feel bad that instead of murdering a corrupt CEO who has either directly or indirectly killed lots of people isn’t near as bad as a serial killer/rapest…). This could have been interesting commentary or at least a plot point driven by the Supervillain and his anti-hero POV, but it’s not…
Speaking of Arthur, we don’t ever really connect to him, possibly because a third of the book he has amnesia, but again, I think the author focused more on that ‘twist’ than the actual goings on in their story. He also has a could be interesting reason to not hate the superhero had that been the focus instead - wanting to make his hero a better hero. But this is told through exposition rather than shown through writing. Flashbacks, mostly.
Beyond all of that, there is a lot of the author trying to latch onto the themes/tropes of most popular superhero franchises without any substance. We have the amnesia trope, women in refrigerator syndrome, the dead lover, very brief bi awakening, the power of friendship, and powers don’t make heroes, the triple identities, to name but a few. But nothing behind them. It’s like throwing everything other superhero stories do except the kitchen sink, but shallower. You never really spend any time with it, the story never settles, the pacing feels off, and there is never a message or commentary behind any of it.
Oh and if you were hoping the real villains get their just desserts or the superhero/anti-hero he their justice, think again. The ending was of course that still a hero despite powers, even though we don’t really get to see that ( although by the time I got to the last chapter, I was skimming it cause I was just done).
In short, this feels like a mess cause it is and it feels like it’s written by someone who either is riding the Marvel hype train but doesn’t really love the material, or by someone who wanted to write fanfiction but make it super. It’s not terrible, but not my thing and I wanted to warn any other superhero/comic fans who were maybe wanting a superhero themed romance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2026
I NEED A SEQUEL!!! NOOOOWWW!!!😭🙏🏼🙏🏼 I LOVED the characters and story, this is my first ever superhero/supervillain read and I’m in love!!
I want to kick this off by saying the KISS SCENES?!?! OH. MY. GOD.😩🙌🏼 i was HOOKED.
However I do have some remarks to make as to why this wasn’t a 5 star rating:
There should be a lot more descriptions imo, I had a hard time imagining how everyone looked like in the beginning, and I still don’t really have a clear picture of their costumes in my mind:/ Sometimes it was hard to get immersed into the story because I had to grab what little descriptions I got and mentally paint a picture first, then concentrate on what was happening
Also, it took me a while to understand that Genesis was British🥲 and that they’re about the same height!
I would have liked if we got to see more of their past in which Warden actually disliked Genesis, we jump into them already having these complicated feelings but we never really get to see them actually GETTING those feelings, except for the hotel room scene (which was one of my FAVOURITESSS😍😩)
I would have liked if we had gotten more of “those” details on their nights together (might just be me though, I like a little more spice😅) just because the kiss scenes are one of the best I’ve read honestly, you can really feel the tension and what’s happening! 10/10
The ending is SO well written! Both of them admitting their pain and it not being a perfect HEA immediately makes this more realistic and i love it, I hope that by the end of this series they both get to be completely happy, but for now this just validates their experience and fear and it’s SO good!
All in all: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WRITING THIS!!! It was a Gem and I’m really glad I found it! Please write a sequel because the relationship between Arthur and Mateo is so sweet, passionate and romantic❣️ I’m not ready for this to be the end!
Honestly, this is the first time I’ve actually written a review, I usually can’t be bothered, but I wanted to because I just loved this story and want to see it progress! Even if you don’t take my constructive criticism I’ll still eat everything up😫but I do think the story would benefit from a lot more descriptions on everything, it would still be fast paced but also provide details and breaks inbetween, to really get immersed!!
I want to kick this off by saying the KISS SCENES?!?! OH. MY. GOD.😩🙌🏼 i was HOOKED.
However I do have some remarks to make as to why this wasn’t a 5 star rating:
There should be a lot more descriptions imo, I had a hard time imagining how everyone looked like in the beginning, and I still don’t really have a clear picture of their costumes in my mind:/ Sometimes it was hard to get immersed into the story because I had to grab what little descriptions I got and mentally paint a picture first, then concentrate on what was happening
Also, it took me a while to understand that Genesis was British🥲 and that they’re about the same height!
I would have liked if we got to see more of their past in which Warden actually disliked Genesis, we jump into them already having these complicated feelings but we never really get to see them actually GETTING those feelings, except for the hotel room scene (which was one of my FAVOURITESSS😍😩)
I would have liked if we had gotten more of “those” details on their nights together (might just be me though, I like a little more spice😅) just because the kiss scenes are one of the best I’ve read honestly, you can really feel the tension and what’s happening! 10/10
The ending is SO well written! Both of them admitting their pain and it not being a perfect HEA immediately makes this more realistic and i love it, I hope that by the end of this series they both get to be completely happy, but for now this just validates their experience and fear and it’s SO good!
All in all: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WRITING THIS!!! It was a Gem and I’m really glad I found it! Please write a sequel because the relationship between Arthur and Mateo is so sweet, passionate and romantic❣️ I’m not ready for this to be the end!
Honestly, this is the first time I’ve actually written a review, I usually can’t be bothered, but I wanted to because I just loved this story and want to see it progress! Even if you don’t take my constructive criticism I’ll still eat everything up😫but I do think the story would benefit from a lot more descriptions on everything, it would still be fast paced but also provide details and breaks inbetween, to really get immersed!!
January 13, 2026
dnf 31%.. hey so... i had high expectations for this but i just couldnt stomach the amnesia plot... and the way Arthur was being manipulated and mistreated...
THIS PISSED ME OFF SO BADDD.... LIKE.... I just cant stomach the manipulation, betrayal, and mistreatment. HOW DARE THEY? Sigh, i came for aura farming moments and all i got was angst and frustration bruh. also the writing is kinda clumsy. I couldnt feel a connection to any of the characters, and really couldnt bring myself to care enough about the plot/main conflict to push through the angst and keep reading.
Warden feels like he’s been sucker punched in the stomach. “And…” He swallows before he can talk. “And, what? His gunshot miraculously wiped his memory?”
“No.” She looks at her gloved nails, feigning disinterest. “You want the truth?”
“Yes. No. I…”
“He had electroshock therapy and a pretty bad concussion. It was pathetic watching him beg for validation at Artemis’ feet when she was the one who made him forget everything.”
THIS PISSED ME OFF SO BADDD.... LIKE.... I just cant stomach the manipulation, betrayal, and mistreatment. HOW DARE THEY? Sigh, i came for aura farming moments and all i got was angst and frustration bruh. also the writing is kinda clumsy. I couldnt feel a connection to any of the characters, and really couldnt bring myself to care enough about the plot/main conflict to push through the angst and keep reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2026
Talk about all over the place. I ended up here from tiktok (woe is me) and was pleasantly disappointed. If there's one thing I dislike in a book, it's having to read something multiple times to understand what the author is saying. That happened early on. Immediate dislike
Plotwise, it was okay. The plot twist was obvious from early on. I'm a bit torn on my feelings about how exactly it happened. On one hand, it didn't go exactly as I expected, so kudos to Mr. Hayes for that, but on the other hand, I'm displeased that it was so soft. I was looking out for some good angst, not a "so actually she really was good but forced to do bad things." Now thinking about it, the plot relied on a loootttt of reveals – which I suppooseee is to be expected when you're dealing with secret identities – but still. Tad overdone?
Compared to the rest of my ratings, this is a 2 but it's not fair to the book itself so 3 stars it is.
Plotwise, it was okay. The plot twist was obvious from early on. I'm a bit torn on my feelings about how exactly it happened. On one hand, it didn't go exactly as I expected, so kudos to Mr. Hayes for that, but on the other hand, I'm displeased that it was so soft. I was looking out for some good angst, not a "so actually she really was good but forced to do bad things." Now thinking about it, the plot relied on a loootttt of reveals – which I suppooseee is to be expected when you're dealing with secret identities – but still. Tad overdone?
Compared to the rest of my ratings, this is a 2 but it's not fair to the book itself so 3 stars it is.
February 5, 2026
I love them your Honour! This was one of the cutest, coolest books I've ever read. I always wanted to read a book that would make me feel the way Spiderman cartoons made me feel when I was a teen. AND DID IT DO EXACTLY THAT AND MORE.
Mateo and Arthur, my two idiotsss! God I love them so muchhh! I adore them so much. The kisses, the forehead kisses, all the tender and soft/emotional moments. The way Mateo was so soft-hearted, so beautifully emotional. His cries were everything. His yearning for Arthur, oh god THE YEARNING. My heart felt so heavy in my chest every time they cried.
This book was so good. All the superhero and supervillain trope got me so well. The final showdown was soo cool and amazing! Wow! Can't wait for the book two. It was really written so beautifully.
They raised my standards even higher (if it's possible). Who's going to love me the way Arthur loves Mateo. I'm gonna be stuck with them for a while. My cutie potatoes.
Mateo and Arthur, my two idiotsss! God I love them so muchhh! I adore them so much. The kisses, the forehead kisses, all the tender and soft/emotional moments. The way Mateo was so soft-hearted, so beautifully emotional. His cries were everything. His yearning for Arthur, oh god THE YEARNING. My heart felt so heavy in my chest every time they cried.
This book was so good. All the superhero and supervillain trope got me so well. The final showdown was soo cool and amazing! Wow! Can't wait for the book two. It was really written so beautifully.
They raised my standards even higher (if it's possible). Who's going to love me the way Arthur loves Mateo. I'm gonna be stuck with them for a while. My cutie potatoes.
August 28, 2025
THIS WAS SO COOL! after being such a fan of superheroes for so long, i saw this book on my tiktok fyp. this was so fun! the world building was amazing and the romance was so swoon-worthy, i was giggling and kicking my feet. i can't WAIT for more from this author, i think ill read everything they publish in future!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 9, 2025
4,25 ☆
The plot is well-constructed, the characters are engaging, and we clearly see Warden's evolution in his way of thinking about the hero/villain relationship.
The twists and turns are well-crafted, and we remain in suspense until the end of the book.
I'm looking forward for the author next work !
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The plot is well-constructed, the characters are engaging, and we clearly see Warden's evolution in his way of thinking about the hero/villain relationship.
The twists and turns are well-crafted, and we remain in suspense until the end of the book.
I'm looking forward for the author next work !
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 6, 2025
THIS STORY IS AWESOME💫
I love this story very much .🩶🩶 When I first started, I was unsure but it shocked me a lot and I reallyyy needed to see Genesis seriously he is awesome, My fav character
I recommend reading this if u like heroes
ITS AWESOME
I love this story very much .🩶🩶 When I first started, I was unsure but it shocked me a lot and I reallyyy needed to see Genesis seriously he is awesome, My fav character
I recommend reading this if u like heroes
ITS AWESOME
January 30, 2026
Superhero/ Supervillain MM enemies to lovers romance? COUNT ME IN
The world building was beautiful and the love story was even more beautiful. I’m so glad I picked this book up and supported this indie author. ❤️
The world building was beautiful and the love story was even more beautiful. I’m so glad I picked this book up and supported this indie author. ❤️
Want to read
August 13, 2025Excited for this story!!
December 23, 2025
they were really cute and I'm excited for book 2
October 3, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book completely blew me away! I haven't ventured into this specific sub-genre much but it exceeded all expectations for me. The writing is extremely immersive, and the pacing balances the action, mystery and romance beautifully, especially for someone with a short attention span like me! I never felt bored whilst reading it or that the plot wasn't fast enough, literal perfection 🤌🏼
What really stood out to me was how well developed all of the characters were! I find that in many cases the side characters are easily forgettable, but I swear I loved each character just as much as the two MMC's 😭 Lina has my whole heart forever! Every character felt just as important to the plot as the leads which made the story feel so much more real.
Ahhh and the romance! Arthur and Mateo's story was the cutest (I love the whole villain x superhero thing) and it was written with such depth and intensity that you couldn't help but yearn with them!
The world-building itself was also incredible. Everything about this universe felt so believable and well thought out. I don't want to give many spoilers, but the plot twists in this were insane! Like, hanging on to the edge of your seat insane!
I really really hope that the author plans on writing more to do with Eros, because I desperately need a part two!
This book completely blew me away! I haven't ventured into this specific sub-genre much but it exceeded all expectations for me. The writing is extremely immersive, and the pacing balances the action, mystery and romance beautifully, especially for someone with a short attention span like me! I never felt bored whilst reading it or that the plot wasn't fast enough, literal perfection 🤌🏼
What really stood out to me was how well developed all of the characters were! I find that in many cases the side characters are easily forgettable, but I swear I loved each character just as much as the two MMC's 😭 Lina has my whole heart forever! Every character felt just as important to the plot as the leads which made the story feel so much more real.
Ahhh and the romance! Arthur and Mateo's story was the cutest (I love the whole villain x superhero thing) and it was written with such depth and intensity that you couldn't help but yearn with them!
The world-building itself was also incredible. Everything about this universe felt so believable and well thought out. I don't want to give many spoilers, but the plot twists in this were insane! Like, hanging on to the edge of your seat insane!
I really really hope that the author plans on writing more to do with Eros, because I desperately need a part two!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews