Sunshine & Sin

by Anna Hawke

A cursed human. A cynical god. A bewildering prophecy that binds them together.

Apollo loathes the life he’s forced to lead. After an Oracle ties the sun god to a human who doesn’t recognize him, he must grapple with a dangerous mission and a woman who challenges him at every turn. As dark forces attack his throne, Apollo will either claim victory with Cyrene at his side or find devastating defeat.

Cursed by Zeus, Cyrene has struggled to make ends meet. When she accepts help from a man cast in mystery, an unexpected passion begins to burn between them. Despite their connection, she realizes that truth isn’t always what it seems—and the gods have wronged her before.

With every attack against the pantheon, more lives are lost. If Apollo and Cyrene can’t uncover the danger that lurks in the shadows, it may devour them whole.



Echoes of Olympus is a non-explicit shared world of dark fantasy and paranormal romance reimagining classic Greek myths through shadow and desire. Each story follows different myths, different couples, and a different descent into danger—where gods and mortals collide.

Genres: Mythology, Romance, Fantasy

233 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 5, 2026

About the author

Anna Hawke is a paranormal romance novelist dedicated to bringing to life the voices inside her head. With a degree in Journalism and a vested interest in grammatical perfection, Anna’s written works contain sarcasm, spark, and sexy alpha males too handsome for their own good.

When she isn’t busy wrangling her three young children, gorgeous husband, and an opinionated grey tabby, Anna enjoys reading romance novels, riding horses, and traveling to places where hiking boots are required. Writing, however, is her favorite pastime, and Anna loves nothing more than pouring herself a 24 oz mug of tea, wrapping herself in a blanket, and giving her imaginary friends a voice.

Reviews

[Michaela | Reading in the Heartland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll admit that the title of this book caught me off guard, but I know the author is a Christian, I’ve read and enjoyed her books before, and I know that this is a no spice, romantic fantasy, Greek mythology retelling of Apollo set in present day, so I decided I’d give it a chance. I am so glad that I did. I loved it! I’ve also since learned that her trilogy in this MAS focuses on over coming things: in this book it’s sin and in the next book it’ll be rage.

Apollo is a Greek god who rules over North America from his temple in Chicago. He’s spent his thousands of years in the company of gods and demigods and is weary. Full of arrogance, he’s startled when a prophecy sends him to rural Illinois and a girl running some stables who has no idea who he is, hates all of the gods, has been cursed by Apollo’s father, and threatens to kill him.

This urban fantasy had it all: mythology, enemies to sweethearts, forced proximity, a grumpy and a sunshine, a curse, mythical creatures, music, a hidden identity, and so much more. I didn’t want to put this book down and I totally adore Apollo and Cy. She brought out his humanity. His gentleness with children and animals touched me and their banter was on fire.

I am loving this new world she created and I cannot wait to read more books in this series. The combining of Greek Mythology with the present day world was superbly done and I’m stunned at how much I enjoyed this book! I was so thankful to find that, unlike previously Hawke books I’ve read, this one has no language and the steam was taken down a notch. Perfection! The romance is just kisses, intimacy level 2.

TW: Mentions of Alcohol, Glaucoma, Loss of Mother, Cancer, Parental Adultery, Torture; Mythical Creatures, Fights, Death, Injuries

I received an ARC of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I could live a thousand more years, and I’d still remember these three better than most. Time is no gauge of what you treasure.”

My favorite thing about Anna is how she weaves such strong values into her stories. Her characters are flawed (as we all are) but ultimately have a strong moral compass guiding them. Although sometimes arrogant, Cyrene seems to have softened Apollo in such a way that is quite beautiful. I appreciate reading about characters who inspire each other to grow— Cyrene and Apollo do just that (reminds me of Mr. Darcy and Lizzy— swoon)! The lighthearted banter between them makes this so enjoyable!

This book is full of rich writing; a nonnegotiable when choosing a book. I encourage my children to consume wholesome content; therefore, I strive to follow that same rule for my own precious mind.

[Kim Zamolo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet book with a Greek mythology retelling storyline. I loved this one! The way Apollo connected with his humanity felt so real, I loved how Cyrene was so down to earth. The ending was so epic!
I loved it, and you should give it a read too!

I received an ARC from the author, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you Anna!

[Yugie Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stories about the Greek gods and goddesses of old are ones that I'm always eager to consume. There is something about divine beings interacting with humans that interests me, and I'm always eager to find out how authors portray these divinities and the nature of their relationships with the beings they are supposed to lord over. Personally, I want the gods to be kind, compassionate, and just, but of course knowing the original mythological tales about the Greek deities tells me they can't all be realistically like that. So I think it takes the right kind of genius for an author to spin a tale that's both satisfying to me as a reader given my preferences while still remaining somewhat faithful to the original tales. Imagine thus my delight that Ms. Anna achieved that precisely in this book.

I loved Ms. Anna's portrayal here of Apollo. He was the right amount of godly and humane by the end of the story, and I loved how Cyrene was pivotal in that transformation. I'm always drawn to heroines who are portrayed as being the reasons why the hero wants to become better versions of themselves. That was exactly what Cyrene had done for Apollo in this book. And what an impressive god he turned out to be!

If this is how good the rest of the series is going to be, then I can't wait for the rest of the books to come!

I was given an advanced review copy of this book. I offer this review voluntarily.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story so much! I used to read a lot of books about mythology, but it’s been a little while since I have. So it was great to get back into it with Sunshine & Sin.

I liked that it’s set in the present time. I thought it was really interesting seeing the gods dealing with modern issues.

Apollo was very arrogant in the beginning, but I loved getting to see a different side to him the further into the story I read. I ended up liking him quite a bit. Cyrene was an endearing and easy-to-like character. I loved her fiery spirit. Cyrene and Apollo’s first meeting was super memorable, to say the least! I loved their banter.

If you’re a fan of urban fantasy with no explicit content, don’t miss out on this book. It’s fantastic! I’m so excited to check out the rest of the series.

I received a copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Greek mythology in the modern world? I appreciated every detail of this story. The characters were complex and real. The interactions between the Olympians? Really well done. Cyrene's dad? He was sweet with wise words. The story and the attacks? All keeps you hooked.

I loved getting to know the characters and understanding the reasons behind how they acted and their feelings. They both have a great arc, chemistry and it was sweet how their relationship grew.

A special highlight to Apollo’s journey ending in finding his humanity and learning how to love.

* This is a closed-door romance
* No language
* Thanks the author for this E-ARC opportunity. All the opinions expressed are purely my own.

[Mrs A M Brookes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this author's other work so jumped at the chance to be an ARC reader for this one.

He's a god, a reluctant one, but still a god. Her family was cursed by a god, and she detests them all. But a fight against a common enemy draws them together. I loved this book! Apollo and Cyrene are both such great characters and I loved the banter between them and the way they came to understand each other's very different lives. There are some great side characters too - Cyrene's father is just so loveable, I wanted to protect him at all cost!

[__boundbybook__ 🥀Shaunie🥀 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it so much! I always love reading stories written about gods falling in love and this one was exactly what I needed!

I loved the characters and the writing was so smooth ever page kept pulling me in for more! The story definitely knew how to keep me needing more! And i absolutely recommend it!

This story had tropes like, God X Human, Disguised MMC, Secrets, Plot Twist, He Sacrifices Himself For Her

[Neire Albarrán · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had my doubts at the beginning and wasn't sure if I'd enjoy the story, but this turned out to be a really nice, easy read (though kind of short). It could seem a bit rushed, but nothing to really hold against it. The characters were even more likeable than I anticipated; Cyrene was spunky but soft-hearted, and Apollo was a greener flag than I imagined he would be! He surprised me time and time again and kept me hooked to the story.

[makeupthepages · Rating 4 out of 5]

What's so interesting to me about this retelling is how relatable the characters were and I loved the mythological creatures. Apollo might have started off being cynical and arrogant but with Cyrene his perception of things changed. The prophecy was my favorite part. I am one reader that loves the twists and turns in a story and this one was unique.

I did receive this as an ARC, but I always stay completely honest in all of my reviews!!!

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

How intriguing

I have read another.series by Anna Hawke.so when I saw this one I wanted to read it. It was very different from her shifter books but also so good. I enjoyed seeing the Olympian gods and their interactions. Cyrene is such a fierce human and has no idea who Lowe actually is. It never occurs to her that is the the god Apollo. Very interesting and s clean story with a bit of heated kisses. This is a multi author series. I am curious how it will go.

[Kuhl_ Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read another.series by Anna Hawke.so when I saw this one I wanted to read it. It was very different from her shifter books but also so good. I enjoyed seeing the Olympian gods and their interactions. Cyrene is such a fierce human and has no idea who Lowe actually is. It never occurs to her that is the the god Apollo. Very interesting and s clean story with a bit of heated kisses. This is a multi author series. I am curious how it will go.

[Whitney Freeberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I normally don't like books that has to do with mythology, but I enjoyed this book! No spice, no swearing a big plus! I would classify this as a quick read (seeing as I finished it in one day). I also could've been that hooked!🤣 I wish there was a little more swoon worthy moments and more witty banter. Overall I'd rate it 14+ and worth reading!

[Alura Heindel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where to even begin?! I couldn’t put this one down! The banter between Apollo and Cyrene was pure gold. Their character growth and blooming relationship were stunning! The interactions between the Olympians? Scary perfection. That ending!? 😍 If you’re a fan of Greek gods, and Urban Fantasy this book is right up your alley! I seriously cannot wait to read the rest of this MAS!

[June McKibben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cyrene and Apollos story captured me from the first page. We have humans gods and curses and mystery gallor. I loved the characters and this shared world that I get to dive into. This book doesn't disappoint and will hook you from the start. Another great read.

[Cari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this different take on an Olympic God. Apollo, god of music, prophecy, healing, the sun, and archery, receives a prophecy and must help a hard headed- god hating mortal. Slow burn, fast read. Looking forward to the next book.

[4 The Love Of Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Anne Hawk’s books and this one did not disappoint. I’m a fan of Greek mythology and Apollo and Cyrene’s story was so much fun. The end was unexpected and my favorite part of the story. Can’t wait to read the rest of the books from this series.

[Tegan Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore greek mythology and Apollo so I was very excited to be a part of Anna Hawke's street team for this book. She did not disappoint. This book is a just kisses romance. I loved Apollo and Cyrene's story! It isn't about glorifying sin, it's about overcoming it and finding your humanity. I enjoyed learning about the characters and reasons behind how they act and feel. The twists were heart wrenching and perfect! Apollo learning to love was absolutely beautiful. The last page gave me chills and I can't wait to read the next book in this interconnected standalone multi-author series.

[Tracey Tonkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

So well written, as I have found all Anna’s works to be, with a flow and pace I always enjoy. An urban fantasy with a cosy feel, albeit in a world of gods and violence, about finding out someone isn’t who you thought and realigning preconceived ideas. Romantic but real, absolutely loved it 😎