What do you think?
Rate this book
House of Gods #1
God of Love
The Gods’ Gambit, a game of deadly trials, always ended with a winner.
Not this time.
They are coming. They are coming. They are coming. Those were the words her mother repeated every day without fail.
When twenty-two-year-old Charisma woke up in Elythra, forced into the Gods’s Gambit, her mother’s warning suddenly made sense.
Though, the trials weren’t her only problem.
The figure of a man, made of shadow, instructed her that her survival hinged on one she had to pretend to be in love with the God of Love.
The games? They became the least of her concerns.
As the trials unraveled, Charisma found herself entangled in an alliance with three powerful gods who, unexpectedly, depended on her. Despite their own ruthless agendas, they were her ticket home. To her mother.
Trapped between divine games, ancient vows and a turn of fate, she realized that even if she believed she had outsmarted the gods, she was just a pawn.
And in a game played by gods, pawns were never meant to survive.
Tropes:
- Greek Mythology Inspired
- Dislike to Like
- Deadly trials (but no one wins)
- One bed
- He Falls First
- Bonded
- Reversed Grumpy x Sunshine
- Mortal x God
Not this time.
They are coming. They are coming. They are coming. Those were the words her mother repeated every day without fail.
When twenty-two-year-old Charisma woke up in Elythra, forced into the Gods’s Gambit, her mother’s warning suddenly made sense.
Though, the trials weren’t her only problem.
The figure of a man, made of shadow, instructed her that her survival hinged on one she had to pretend to be in love with the God of Love.
The games? They became the least of her concerns.
As the trials unraveled, Charisma found herself entangled in an alliance with three powerful gods who, unexpectedly, depended on her. Despite their own ruthless agendas, they were her ticket home. To her mother.
Trapped between divine games, ancient vows and a turn of fate, she realized that even if she believed she had outsmarted the gods, she was just a pawn.
And in a game played by gods, pawns were never meant to survive.
Tropes:
- Greek Mythology Inspired
- Dislike to Like
- Deadly trials (but no one wins)
- One bed
- He Falls First
- Bonded
- Reversed Grumpy x Sunshine
- Mortal x God
394 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 16, 2026
43 people are currently reading
395 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 229 reviews
Want to Read
February 4, 2026જ⁀➴ 𑣲 𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭 ᭡
I got the e-ARC!!! Thank you so much author Maeve and Lena for sending it to me so excited to read it !!!!!❤️
I got the e-ARC!!! Thank you so much author Maeve and Lena for sending it to me so excited to read it !!!!!❤️
Want to Read
February 3, 2026preread: greek mythology with a badass fmc?! sign me tf up lol. andddd i just got the arc tee-hee
February 20, 2026
I wanted to love this one so badly. It has so many elements I’m instantly drawn to. When I found out I’d been chosen to read this early, I was genuinely so excited. Sadly, it didn’t quite live up to what I was hoping for.
There are good things here. The concept is strong, and there are flashes of really interesting ideas woven throughout. But overall, it felt underdeveloped in ways that made it hard for me to fully connect.
From the beginning, I felt like I’d been thrown into the middle of an already unfolding story. Instead of easing us into the world, we’re expected to just go with it — and I struggled with that. I kept waiting for clearer explanations about how everything works, how the characters ended up where they are, and what the bigger purpose behind it all is. Some of those foundational questions lingered too long for me, which made it difficult to stay grounded in the story.
The narrative style also felt slightly inconsistent. The shifts in perspective were noticeable, and while I don’t mind multiple POVs, the difference in tone and voice between them felt uneven rather than intentional. It pulled me out of the flow more than once.
More than anything, I think this story needed more depth — more time spent building the world, developing motivations, and letting moments breathe. The bones of something great are absolutely there, and I can see the potential, but it just didn’t fully come together for me.
I’m still glad I gave it a chance, and I know this will work for other readers — it just didn’t hit the mark the way I’d hoped.
There are good things here. The concept is strong, and there are flashes of really interesting ideas woven throughout. But overall, it felt underdeveloped in ways that made it hard for me to fully connect.
From the beginning, I felt like I’d been thrown into the middle of an already unfolding story. Instead of easing us into the world, we’re expected to just go with it — and I struggled with that. I kept waiting for clearer explanations about how everything works, how the characters ended up where they are, and what the bigger purpose behind it all is. Some of those foundational questions lingered too long for me, which made it difficult to stay grounded in the story.
The narrative style also felt slightly inconsistent. The shifts in perspective were noticeable, and while I don’t mind multiple POVs, the difference in tone and voice between them felt uneven rather than intentional. It pulled me out of the flow more than once.
More than anything, I think this story needed more depth — more time spent building the world, developing motivations, and letting moments breathe. The bones of something great are absolutely there, and I can see the potential, but it just didn’t fully come together for me.
I’m still glad I gave it a chance, and I know this will work for other readers — it just didn’t hit the mark the way I’d hoped.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I really wanted to love that one, it has every single trope that I love, add into the fact this has the Greek Gods one of my passions, I was super excited when I got that email saying i'd been chosen to arc read this book. It unfortunatly fell a little short of the mark for me. Over all, it's good, and it has some strong merits, but for me they don't outweigh the negatives.
The start of the book was almost like being picked up and being dropped in the middle of something and i feel we don't quiet get the world building we need in the initial stages to really gell with the book, the world and exactly what the heck is going on, and why. i think one of my biggest questions when I started reading, that I hoped would be answered, was, how the heck did she get here? Why? what is the Gambit, what's its purpose, how did any of them get there and why is she trying to escape so hard? Like I said, it just felt like we were picked up and dropped mid-sentence.
The writing is also a little all over the place, our FMC is written in first person, and I don't mind the writing style, but then our two male character is done in third person, and the style is noticeably different.
We just seem to rush, without any of the needed depth to the world, and i'm so sad because I really wanted to love this. There is potential yea, but right now it's just lacking fundamental things.
The start of the book was almost like being picked up and being dropped in the middle of something and i feel we don't quiet get the world building we need in the initial stages to really gell with the book, the world and exactly what the heck is going on, and why. i think one of my biggest questions when I started reading, that I hoped would be answered, was, how the heck did she get here? Why? what is the Gambit, what's its purpose, how did any of them get there and why is she trying to escape so hard? Like I said, it just felt like we were picked up and dropped mid-sentence.
The writing is also a little all over the place, our FMC is written in first person, and I don't mind the writing style, but then our two male character is done in third person, and the style is noticeably different.
We just seem to rush, without any of the needed depth to the world, and i'm so sad because I really wanted to love this. There is potential yea, but right now it's just lacking fundamental things.
March 15, 2026
Hello readers, it’s Elisa 🤍
Today I’m sharing my review of God of Love by Maeve & Lena Serathi (@serathiauthors). Thank you so much for the ARC opportunity!
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Format: Ebook
Pages: 394
“If vows are destined to break, I’m glad mine broke for you.”
Charisma has spent most of her life caring for her mother, to the point where her entire world revolves around that responsibility. When she is suddenly taken to Elythra to participate in the Gods’ Gambit, everything she knows is turned upside down… and, in many ways, for the better.
Charisma is strong‑minded, resilient, and surprisingly relatable. She feels like a real person, the kind of character you can easily see parts of yourself in.
The Greek‑mythology inspiration combined with deadly trials hooked me from the very beginning. I’ll be honest: at first, it felt a bit like a mythology‑inspired Hunger Games. But as the story developed, the authors’ own voice and personality became clearer, giving the book its own identity.
One thing I personally missed was a deeper development of the other participants and the gods themselves, their backgrounds, motivations, alliances, and relationships. At times, the pacing felt rushed, and for a “normal girl,”
Charisma manages to do a lot throughout the story.
That said, this didn’t negatively impact my reading experience.
The chapters are short and fast‑flowing, which made it very easy to keep going. The use of multiple POVs added depth and variety, something I especially loved
, and helped shape the way the story was told.
As always, stories hit everyone differently and depend a lot on timing. For me, this was the right book at the right moment, and I genuinely enjoyed the experience. I’m definitely curious to see where the story goes next and already looking forward to book two ✨
Today I’m sharing my review of God of Love by Maeve & Lena Serathi (@serathiauthors). Thank you so much for the ARC opportunity!
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Format: Ebook
Pages: 394
“If vows are destined to break, I’m glad mine broke for you.”
Charisma has spent most of her life caring for her mother, to the point where her entire world revolves around that responsibility. When she is suddenly taken to Elythra to participate in the Gods’ Gambit, everything she knows is turned upside down… and, in many ways, for the better.
Charisma is strong‑minded, resilient, and surprisingly relatable. She feels like a real person, the kind of character you can easily see parts of yourself in.
The Greek‑mythology inspiration combined with deadly trials hooked me from the very beginning. I’ll be honest: at first, it felt a bit like a mythology‑inspired Hunger Games. But as the story developed, the authors’ own voice and personality became clearer, giving the book its own identity.
One thing I personally missed was a deeper development of the other participants and the gods themselves, their backgrounds, motivations, alliances, and relationships. At times, the pacing felt rushed, and for a “normal girl,”
Charisma manages to do a lot throughout the story.
That said, this didn’t negatively impact my reading experience.
The chapters are short and fast‑flowing, which made it very easy to keep going. The use of multiple POVs added depth and variety, something I especially loved
, and helped shape the way the story was told.
As always, stories hit everyone differently and depend a lot on timing. For me, this was the right book at the right moment, and I genuinely enjoyed the experience. I’m definitely curious to see where the story goes next and already looking forward to book two ✨
Review of advance copy received from Author
thank you so much for the opportunity to read this as an arc 🤍 i’m always grateful to get an early look at a story.
sadly, this one just wasn’t the right fit for me right now. i ended up deciding to dnf. the writing felt like multiple styles were woven together into one book, and i personally struggled with that. the switching between first person and third person pulled me out of the story, and instead of getting immersed, i felt disconnected.
i was genuinely excited to start this, which makes it even more disappointing for me. sometimes it’s just about timing, and maybe one day i’ll pick this back up when it feels right.
for now, it simply wasn’t working for me — but i truly appreciate the chance to read and review. 🤍
sadly, this one just wasn’t the right fit for me right now. i ended up deciding to dnf. the writing felt like multiple styles were woven together into one book, and i personally struggled with that. the switching between first person and third person pulled me out of the story, and instead of getting immersed, i felt disconnected.
i was genuinely excited to start this, which makes it even more disappointing for me. sometimes it’s just about timing, and maybe one day i’ll pick this back up when it feels right.
for now, it simply wasn’t working for me — but i truly appreciate the chance to read and review. 🤍
February 21, 2026
my rating: ★★★.5
aesthetic: 🏹👤🏛️🍇💀🔪📚🌹🧚🏼♂️🪽🩸
God of Love is an ambitious, mythology-inspired fantasy that blends deadly trials, divine politics, and emotionally charged alliances into a story that feels both high-stakes and intimate. While it didn’t fully capture me in the way I hoped, it was still an engaging and thoughtfully constructed read — one that I’m glad I had the opportunity to experience as an advanced reader.
From the start, the premise immediately intrigues. A world governed by gods, a game that was never meant to end without a winner, and a mortal thrust into divine machinations sets a compelling stage. The concept of the Gods’ Gambit and the unsettling sense that something has gone fundamentally wrong creates a constant undercurrent of tension that carries throughout the story.
Charisma is a fascinating protagonist, caught between survival, loyalty, and the weight of her mother’s ominous warnings. Her forced proximity to the God of Love introduces a romance built not on instant trust, but on necessity and pretense — a dynamic that slowly shifts into something more layered and emotionally complex. The “dislike to like” progression, paired with a reversed grumpy–sunshine energy, gives their interactions a compelling push and pull without relying on excess drama.
One of the book’s strengths lies in its atmosphere. The trials feel ominous rather than flashy, and the divine presence is ever-looming, reinforcing the idea that mortals are never truly in control. The inclusion of multiple gods with conflicting agendas adds depth to the narrative, creating alliances that feel uneasy, strategic, and constantly at risk of unraveling.
That said, the pacing and emotional focus may not work for every reader. The story leans heavily into internal tension and relationship dynamics over rapid plot progression, which at times slowed my personal reading experience. However, readers who enjoy character-driven fantasy, subtle emotional shifts, and mythology-inspired worlds will likely find a lot to appreciate here.
Overall, God of Love is a solid and intriguing start with strong themes of power, manipulation, fate, and the dangerous illusion of choice when gods are involved. While it landed at a 3.5⭐️ read for me, I can easily see it resonating more deeply with readers who love slow-burn dynamics, divine politics, and mythological retellings. Thank you to Maeve and Lena Serathi for the opportunity to read this book early as an advanced reader — I appreciate the chance to step into Elythra ahead of its release.
aesthetic: 🏹👤🏛️🍇💀🔪📚🌹🧚🏼♂️🪽🩸
God of Love is an ambitious, mythology-inspired fantasy that blends deadly trials, divine politics, and emotionally charged alliances into a story that feels both high-stakes and intimate. While it didn’t fully capture me in the way I hoped, it was still an engaging and thoughtfully constructed read — one that I’m glad I had the opportunity to experience as an advanced reader.
From the start, the premise immediately intrigues. A world governed by gods, a game that was never meant to end without a winner, and a mortal thrust into divine machinations sets a compelling stage. The concept of the Gods’ Gambit and the unsettling sense that something has gone fundamentally wrong creates a constant undercurrent of tension that carries throughout the story.
Charisma is a fascinating protagonist, caught between survival, loyalty, and the weight of her mother’s ominous warnings. Her forced proximity to the God of Love introduces a romance built not on instant trust, but on necessity and pretense — a dynamic that slowly shifts into something more layered and emotionally complex. The “dislike to like” progression, paired with a reversed grumpy–sunshine energy, gives their interactions a compelling push and pull without relying on excess drama.
One of the book’s strengths lies in its atmosphere. The trials feel ominous rather than flashy, and the divine presence is ever-looming, reinforcing the idea that mortals are never truly in control. The inclusion of multiple gods with conflicting agendas adds depth to the narrative, creating alliances that feel uneasy, strategic, and constantly at risk of unraveling.
That said, the pacing and emotional focus may not work for every reader. The story leans heavily into internal tension and relationship dynamics over rapid plot progression, which at times slowed my personal reading experience. However, readers who enjoy character-driven fantasy, subtle emotional shifts, and mythology-inspired worlds will likely find a lot to appreciate here.
Overall, God of Love is a solid and intriguing start with strong themes of power, manipulation, fate, and the dangerous illusion of choice when gods are involved. While it landed at a 3.5⭐️ read for me, I can easily see it resonating more deeply with readers who love slow-burn dynamics, divine politics, and mythological retellings. Thank you to Maeve and Lena Serathi for the opportunity to read this book early as an advanced reader — I appreciate the chance to step into Elythra ahead of its release.
March 10, 2026
The authors basically threw us into this book with the idea that we’re smart readers and we’ll just figure everything out on our own. Well. No. That’s not how it works.
There is absolutely no world building. I was thrown into a room with Charisma and neither she nor I had any clue what was going on. We’re told about something called God’s Gambit, but what is a God’s Gambit? No idea. We assume it’s a competition because we receive a parchment with rules. That’s it. We don’t know how we got there, why we’re there, when this is happening. Nothing. I felt like someone who doesn’t know how to swim just got thrown into the deep end of a pool and I kept sinking because I had no idea how to get to the surface.
Also, I genuinely feel like there was zero research done on gods. This is a story about the Olympian gods, yet Zeus was written like a moody high school senior who didn’t win prom king and is about to throw a tantrum. Gods are obsessive, calculated, powerful, ruthless, masculine forces of nature. Instead, we got a Zeus whose lollipop got stolen. And excuse me, but Zeus is supposed to be the supreme god … he should’ve been the most badass one in the room.
“If the process of veyrithing is just a walk through darkness, how does someone even know where to go?”
“Each place you visit has an aura. You just have to tap into it.”
You might wonder why I included this quote. Because I still don’t understand how this teleportation works even after it was explained. How do I know what the aura of a place feels like? How do I tap into it if I don’t even know how to find it in the first place? Am I supposed to just… vibe my way through dimensions?
The author’s note says the first part is slower. Slower WHERE? I didn’t understand anything. The book jumps from one idea to another at a speed that would make F1 drivers nervous. I had to reread pages two or three times just to figure out where we were and how we got there. It genuinely felt like reading a soup where random ideas were thrown in. And it’s very Hunger Games coded.
Actually, correction. Zeus is Regina George coded. Very Mean Girls energy.
There’s nothing original here except the gods. It’s basically The Hunger Games with Olympians. She hits a tree in the forest, very Hunger Games coded. The god of love gives her some magical ointment and suddenly her wounds are healed. Just like Katniss and her magic cream 🙄
At least Zeus eventually pulls himself together and starts acting like the god we’ve read about in legends.
The book does start becoming interesting because of the secret meetings and conspiracies between the gods. I’m not entirely sure what their endgame is, but apparently each god has their own agenda for Olympus, and that part? That part had me hooked.
But can we talk about the absolute absurdity of Shadow telling her that she has to sleep in Eros’s house. And in his bed. I’m sorry??? Like, “yeah sure, let me just knock on a god’s door and ask if I can sleep over.” She barely knows him. He saved her from drowning and sent her a knife. That’s their entire interaction. And now she’s just… going to sleep in his bed? What kind of plot hole is that? 🤣
Oh wait. The fairy can teleport her there. Sure. Fine. Didn’t think of that. BUT SHE STILL HAS TO KNOCK ON THE DOOR. Lord, what am I reading? Just when I thought we were getting a proper conspiracy storyline, we get this mess of a scene.
Am I stupid? Is it me? She is crying at Eros’s home because she might die in the next trial… except there is no trial the next day. AM I THE PROBLEM?
And then the second trial hits and suddenly we’re in The Maze Runner. The originality is stunning 🙄 At least we finally find out why they’re in these trials.
I did not see the Shadow reveal coming. Bravo to the authors for that. After the second trial, the book genuinely becomes much more interesting and finally feels more original. I was way more invested.
AND THAT ENDING???? EXCUSE ME???? WHAT WAS THAT FINALE???
I NEED THE NEXT VOLUME. Immediately ☺️
There is absolutely no world building. I was thrown into a room with Charisma and neither she nor I had any clue what was going on. We’re told about something called God’s Gambit, but what is a God’s Gambit? No idea. We assume it’s a competition because we receive a parchment with rules. That’s it. We don’t know how we got there, why we’re there, when this is happening. Nothing. I felt like someone who doesn’t know how to swim just got thrown into the deep end of a pool and I kept sinking because I had no idea how to get to the surface.
Also, I genuinely feel like there was zero research done on gods. This is a story about the Olympian gods, yet Zeus was written like a moody high school senior who didn’t win prom king and is about to throw a tantrum. Gods are obsessive, calculated, powerful, ruthless, masculine forces of nature. Instead, we got a Zeus whose lollipop got stolen. And excuse me, but Zeus is supposed to be the supreme god … he should’ve been the most badass one in the room.
“If the process of veyrithing is just a walk through darkness, how does someone even know where to go?”
“Each place you visit has an aura. You just have to tap into it.”
You might wonder why I included this quote. Because I still don’t understand how this teleportation works even after it was explained. How do I know what the aura of a place feels like? How do I tap into it if I don’t even know how to find it in the first place? Am I supposed to just… vibe my way through dimensions?
The author’s note says the first part is slower. Slower WHERE? I didn’t understand anything. The book jumps from one idea to another at a speed that would make F1 drivers nervous. I had to reread pages two or three times just to figure out where we were and how we got there. It genuinely felt like reading a soup where random ideas were thrown in. And it’s very Hunger Games coded.
Actually, correction. Zeus is Regina George coded. Very Mean Girls energy.
There’s nothing original here except the gods. It’s basically The Hunger Games with Olympians. She hits a tree in the forest, very Hunger Games coded. The god of love gives her some magical ointment and suddenly her wounds are healed. Just like Katniss and her magic cream 🙄
At least Zeus eventually pulls himself together and starts acting like the god we’ve read about in legends.
The book does start becoming interesting because of the secret meetings and conspiracies between the gods. I’m not entirely sure what their endgame is, but apparently each god has their own agenda for Olympus, and that part? That part had me hooked.
But can we talk about the absolute absurdity of Shadow telling her that she has to sleep in Eros’s house. And in his bed. I’m sorry??? Like, “yeah sure, let me just knock on a god’s door and ask if I can sleep over.” She barely knows him. He saved her from drowning and sent her a knife. That’s their entire interaction. And now she’s just… going to sleep in his bed? What kind of plot hole is that? 🤣
Oh wait. The fairy can teleport her there. Sure. Fine. Didn’t think of that. BUT SHE STILL HAS TO KNOCK ON THE DOOR. Lord, what am I reading? Just when I thought we were getting a proper conspiracy storyline, we get this mess of a scene.
Am I stupid? Is it me? She is crying at Eros’s home because she might die in the next trial… except there is no trial the next day. AM I THE PROBLEM?
And then the second trial hits and suddenly we’re in The Maze Runner. The originality is stunning 🙄 At least we finally find out why they’re in these trials.
I did not see the Shadow reveal coming. Bravo to the authors for that. After the second trial, the book genuinely becomes much more interesting and finally feels more original. I was way more invested.
AND THAT ENDING???? EXCUSE ME???? WHAT WAS THAT FINALE???
I NEED THE NEXT VOLUME. Immediately ☺️
February 21, 2026
This one has an excellent hook. Mortals dragged into divine trials, forced into a fake relationship with the God of Love, and caught between ruthless gods with their own agendas. The premise is genuinely intriguing. There are flashes of really compelling concepts here. Individually, the characters and POVs are interesting, but I struggled to fully settle into the story.
Part of that came down to pacing and structure. It often felt both rushed and slow at the same time. Big moments would be glossed over, while other sections lingered without quite giving me the emotional payoff I was hoping for. I also had trouble finding my rhythm with the writing style. The shifts in voice between POVs are noticeable, given the first-to-third-person transition, and while I can see what the authors were going for, it made the book feel a bit stitched together rather than smoothly blended. Rather than enhancing the contrast between mortal and divine, it pulled me out of the story.
Emotionally, I wanted more depth. The fake romance with Eros is a strong concept, especially with the bonded element and forced proximity, but a lot of the bonding happens off-page or too quickly to fully land. They don't seem like a romantic pairing at ALL, honestly.
Overall, this is a book full of good ideas, it just needed more breathing room and a more cohesive narrative voice to really shine. I was interested enough to see how it ended, but it never quite clicked the way I hoped. For me, it was a tough one to rate: ambitious, imaginative, and intriguing… but ultimately a little disjointed and emotionally distant.
Thanks to the authors for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
Part of that came down to pacing and structure. It often felt both rushed and slow at the same time. Big moments would be glossed over, while other sections lingered without quite giving me the emotional payoff I was hoping for. I also had trouble finding my rhythm with the writing style. The shifts in voice between POVs are noticeable, given the first-to-third-person transition, and while I can see what the authors were going for, it made the book feel a bit stitched together rather than smoothly blended. Rather than enhancing the contrast between mortal and divine, it pulled me out of the story.
Emotionally, I wanted more depth. The fake romance with Eros is a strong concept, especially with the bonded element and forced proximity, but a lot of the bonding happens off-page or too quickly to fully land. They don't seem like a romantic pairing at ALL, honestly.
Overall, this is a book full of good ideas, it just needed more breathing room and a more cohesive narrative voice to really shine. I was interested enough to see how it ended, but it never quite clicked the way I hoped. For me, it was a tough one to rate: ambitious, imaginative, and intriguing… but ultimately a little disjointed and emotionally distant.
Thanks to the authors for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
Did Not Finish
February 17, 2026𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧.
I would like to start by saying that I'm very grateful to have received an ARC of this book. But I always try to be as honest as possible, and without disrespecting the effort that the authors have put into writing this book, I would like to explain why this was a 𝘿𝙉𝙁 for me.
Most of this book felt like being thrown into a sea of freezing water. It felt confusing and disorienting. I did receive an updated version of the ARC, but even then, it felt like I had to work overtime to put pieces together to make sense of what exactly was going on.
I loved the introduction of the male lead. But unfortunately, I failed to notice a gradual emotional connection as the story progressed. I would say this is one of the main things that took me out of the story, and it's the lack of connection with any of the other characters that are not the main character. I realized I did not care much for any of the contestants or the gods, because all we got were mere glimpses of who they were. I kept reading in hopes that all my questions would be answered, but I only kept adding new questions to my list.
This concept and idea are truly interesting, and I think they have great potential. But if I can offer any kind of advice, it would be not to rush the world-building and not to underestimate the importance of character-depth. Write more books in this universe if necessary, because I'd rather commit to a long series rather than read a quick story that I can't connect with. I'm also open to the possibility that this might have been a "wrong time to read this book" situation, and I'm still hoping that I'll come back to it in the future and enjoy it a little more.
I would like to start by saying that I'm very grateful to have received an ARC of this book. But I always try to be as honest as possible, and without disrespecting the effort that the authors have put into writing this book, I would like to explain why this was a 𝘿𝙉𝙁 for me.
Most of this book felt like being thrown into a sea of freezing water. It felt confusing and disorienting. I did receive an updated version of the ARC, but even then, it felt like I had to work overtime to put pieces together to make sense of what exactly was going on.
I loved the introduction of the male lead. But unfortunately, I failed to notice a gradual emotional connection as the story progressed. I would say this is one of the main things that took me out of the story, and it's the lack of connection with any of the other characters that are not the main character. I realized I did not care much for any of the contestants or the gods, because all we got were mere glimpses of who they were. I kept reading in hopes that all my questions would be answered, but I only kept adding new questions to my list.
This concept and idea are truly interesting, and I think they have great potential. But if I can offer any kind of advice, it would be not to rush the world-building and not to underestimate the importance of character-depth. Write more books in this universe if necessary, because I'd rather commit to a long series rather than read a quick story that I can't connect with. I'm also open to the possibility that this might have been a "wrong time to read this book" situation, and I'm still hoping that I'll come back to it in the future and enjoy it a little more.
February 17, 2026
3.5⭐️
First of all I want to thank the authors for kindly sending this arc to me!
As a Greek, I really appreciated the fact that this is a whole new fantasy world inspired by the Greek mythology and not another retelling! I’ve been actually craving a story like this!
As a result, this story is fresh and unique and it has a great potential!
It’s easy to read, interesting and I can easily picture the world in my head. The world building is done in a smart way.
I have to say though that I needed wayyy more magic and whimsy!
There wasn’t a single character that didn’t intrigue me and the fmc was very close to my liking!! I loved learning her back story and her pov was everything.
I liked the other povs as well!
The book didn’t lack banter and smart dialogues. At times it was also funny!! And in my opinion, the more serious topics were explored in the right amount of depth.
As for the romance part.. I appreciated the romance/plot ratio.
Now I’m waiting for more and I actually wish I had the whole series in my hands to binge the whole thing!
First of all I want to thank the authors for kindly sending this arc to me!
As a Greek, I really appreciated the fact that this is a whole new fantasy world inspired by the Greek mythology and not another retelling! I’ve been actually craving a story like this!
As a result, this story is fresh and unique and it has a great potential!
It’s easy to read, interesting and I can easily picture the world in my head. The world building is done in a smart way.
I have to say though that I needed wayyy more magic and whimsy!
There wasn’t a single character that didn’t intrigue me and the fmc was very close to my liking!! I loved learning her back story and her pov was everything.
I liked the other povs as well!
The book didn’t lack banter and smart dialogues. At times it was also funny!! And in my opinion, the more serious topics were explored in the right amount of depth.
As for the romance part.. I appreciated the romance/plot ratio.
Now I’m waiting for more and I actually wish I had the whole series in my hands to binge the whole thing!
February 20, 2026
I received this book as an arc, thanks to Bookfunnel for that.
I had some struggles with the story. Shadow and I didn't really connect until the very end of the book.
There were some inconsistencies in the story and felt rushed sometimes. It took me a good while to get through to the halfway point of the book, and then I kept reading.
I did like that is is a story about greek gods. There was a game element that I enjoyed.
It just wasn't a book I would read again, but did like reading.
I had some struggles with the story. Shadow and I didn't really connect until the very end of the book.
There were some inconsistencies in the story and felt rushed sometimes. It took me a good while to get through to the halfway point of the book, and then I kept reading.
I did like that is is a story about greek gods. There was a game element that I enjoyed.
It just wasn't a book I would read again, but did like reading.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved Charisma and the story even tho some parts I didn't like but i did enjoy this and couldn't put it down!
Thank you so much to the authors for letting me read this book I can't wait til the next one!
Thank you so much to the authors for letting me read this book I can't wait til the next one!
February 18, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
God of Love
Tropes: One Bed 🛌 Grumpy x Sunshine ☀️ Greek Mythology 🏛️ Trials ⚔️
Spice: 🌶️
ARC E- REVIEW
First and foremost, I want to thank Lena and Maeve Serathi for giving me the opportunity to read this beautiful installment for their debut. I’ve been wanting to get my hands on this book since last year 🥲 so I’m beyond grateful.
This book is a journey. Our FMC is thrust into a world of gods who see mortals as nothing more than game pieces to move at their will. Charisma must face dangerous trials alongside twelve other contestants. What stood out to me is how different these trials felt compared to others I’ve read. The plot takes time to thicken, and many of the challenges are rooted in mental strength rather than physical endurance, which really allows the FMC to shine.
I loved how Charisma had to rely on her wits and the knowledge her mother once shared with her about the Greek gods in order to survive. Her connection with the God of Love becomes her light in the darkness. Eros truly is the sunshine energy, and I appreciated how he gently pushed her to confront her real feelings instead of placing a bandaid over them. Their bond runs deeper than attraction; it’s built on understanding and shared loneliness.
It did take me a little time to settle into the flow of the story, and the pacing felt slower in the first half. Around the 50% mark, everything begins to unfold and the story finds more rhythm. I’m rating this 3.5 stars due to the slower pacing in the first half and I would love some more depth to the characters. The writing also felt a bit confusing it switching from first and third person. However, I can see the groundwork being laid for something bigger in the next book. Overall, I’m still excited for the next installment.
Favorite Quotes 📝: “If vows are destined to break, I’m glad mine broke for you.”
“You are deserving of happiness. Why be satisfied with less when you can aspire to more?”
“He was lonely and so was I.”
“I couldn’t imagine destroying a book when it was the only thing keeping me intact.”
God of Love
Tropes: One Bed 🛌 Grumpy x Sunshine ☀️ Greek Mythology 🏛️ Trials ⚔️
Spice: 🌶️
ARC E- REVIEW
First and foremost, I want to thank Lena and Maeve Serathi for giving me the opportunity to read this beautiful installment for their debut. I’ve been wanting to get my hands on this book since last year 🥲 so I’m beyond grateful.
This book is a journey. Our FMC is thrust into a world of gods who see mortals as nothing more than game pieces to move at their will. Charisma must face dangerous trials alongside twelve other contestants. What stood out to me is how different these trials felt compared to others I’ve read. The plot takes time to thicken, and many of the challenges are rooted in mental strength rather than physical endurance, which really allows the FMC to shine.
I loved how Charisma had to rely on her wits and the knowledge her mother once shared with her about the Greek gods in order to survive. Her connection with the God of Love becomes her light in the darkness. Eros truly is the sunshine energy, and I appreciated how he gently pushed her to confront her real feelings instead of placing a bandaid over them. Their bond runs deeper than attraction; it’s built on understanding and shared loneliness.
It did take me a little time to settle into the flow of the story, and the pacing felt slower in the first half. Around the 50% mark, everything begins to unfold and the story finds more rhythm. I’m rating this 3.5 stars due to the slower pacing in the first half and I would love some more depth to the characters. The writing also felt a bit confusing it switching from first and third person. However, I can see the groundwork being laid for something bigger in the next book. Overall, I’m still excited for the next installment.
Favorite Quotes 📝: “If vows are destined to break, I’m glad mine broke for you.”
“You are deserving of happiness. Why be satisfied with less when you can aspire to more?”
“He was lonely and so was I.”
“I couldn’t imagine destroying a book when it was the only thing keeping me intact.”
Read
March 1, 2026Thank you to the authors for an advanced reader copy
God of Love by Maeve and Lena Serathi is a mixed first and third person dual-POV romantic fantasy reimagining of Psyche and Eros. Charisma is one of twelve ‘errors,’ mortals who have taken a bit too much magic and are forced into a series of deadly trials by the Olympians. Charisma proclaims herself to be in love with the god Eros, giving her an extra challenge as not only must she pretend to be in love with him, but she must sleep beside him every night.
There are a few shifts in the mythos in this book. Not only do the errors exist, but several gods have had their back stories or fate changed. As such, I wouldn't walk into this assuming that you'll know precisely how certain things will be dealt with or what the gods' relationships are with each other as at least one detail will probably be off in some way or another.
I would put this more at a romantic fantasy rather than a romantasy or a fantasy romance. The romance doesn't take as much center stage as I expect from romantasy or fantasy romance and the instalove aspects and how it progressed further pushed it away from what I personally expect. It is definitely present in the book and I think it's going to play a bigger part in book two, there's just too much other stuff also going on.
I did really like the concept of a tournament in a modern centering and mixing the Greek pantheon in there. The trials sort of take a backseat about halfway through the book as the larger plot starts to take over and I'm curious to see if they'll come back on book two.
I would recommend this to readers who love reimaginings of Greek mythology and like deadly games
God of Love by Maeve and Lena Serathi is a mixed first and third person dual-POV romantic fantasy reimagining of Psyche and Eros. Charisma is one of twelve ‘errors,’ mortals who have taken a bit too much magic and are forced into a series of deadly trials by the Olympians. Charisma proclaims herself to be in love with the god Eros, giving her an extra challenge as not only must she pretend to be in love with him, but she must sleep beside him every night.
There are a few shifts in the mythos in this book. Not only do the errors exist, but several gods have had their back stories or fate changed. As such, I wouldn't walk into this assuming that you'll know precisely how certain things will be dealt with or what the gods' relationships are with each other as at least one detail will probably be off in some way or another.
I would put this more at a romantic fantasy rather than a romantasy or a fantasy romance. The romance doesn't take as much center stage as I expect from romantasy or fantasy romance and the instalove aspects and how it progressed further pushed it away from what I personally expect. It is definitely present in the book and I think it's going to play a bigger part in book two, there's just too much other stuff also going on.
I did really like the concept of a tournament in a modern centering and mixing the Greek pantheon in there. The trials sort of take a backseat about halfway through the book as the larger plot starts to take over and I'm curious to see if they'll come back on book two.
I would recommend this to readers who love reimaginings of Greek mythology and like deadly games
Review of advance copy
✨️ARC REVIEW✨️
"If vows are destined to break, I’m glad mine broke for you.”
Huge thankyous to Tales and Teacups PR, Maeve & Lena for this arc opportunity. I am so grateful. 🫶🏻
Nothing pulls me in faster than the theme of a romantasy book being deadly trials. 🗡 I really enjoyed how this story started and set the scene. Being just as confused as Charisma about what was happening and where she ended up made it feel like I was figuring everything out alongside her. 🙌🏻
The writing style could use a little polishing in places, but it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment. ☺️ The main thing I struggled with the most was that some of the relationships forming felt like they needed a bit more depth to help me fully connect. That said, the story flowed well and I always enjoy a multi POV. I love getting different perspectives and seeing how everything ties together. The ending was strong and left me with plenty of unanswered questions, which is exactly what you want at the start of a series. 😍
I respect the Serathi girls for stepping outside their genre comfort zones and writing this story together. That’s not an easy thing to do. This world has so much potential, and you can see how much effort the girls are putting into building it from observing their socials. I really cant wait to see where they take this world and story. Keep it up ladies, doing truly amazing work. You should be so proud of yourselves. 👏🏻🥰
"If vows are destined to break, I’m glad mine broke for you.”
Huge thankyous to Tales and Teacups PR, Maeve & Lena for this arc opportunity. I am so grateful. 🫶🏻
Nothing pulls me in faster than the theme of a romantasy book being deadly trials. 🗡 I really enjoyed how this story started and set the scene. Being just as confused as Charisma about what was happening and where she ended up made it feel like I was figuring everything out alongside her. 🙌🏻
The writing style could use a little polishing in places, but it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment. ☺️ The main thing I struggled with the most was that some of the relationships forming felt like they needed a bit more depth to help me fully connect. That said, the story flowed well and I always enjoy a multi POV. I love getting different perspectives and seeing how everything ties together. The ending was strong and left me with plenty of unanswered questions, which is exactly what you want at the start of a series. 😍
I respect the Serathi girls for stepping outside their genre comfort zones and writing this story together. That’s not an easy thing to do. This world has so much potential, and you can see how much effort the girls are putting into building it from observing their socials. I really cant wait to see where they take this world and story. Keep it up ladies, doing truly amazing work. You should be so proud of yourselves. 👏🏻🥰
February 28, 2026
*ARC provided by the authors*
As a Greek myself and someone who has loved Greek mythology since I was a little girl, I can’t help being a little bit hesitant when I come upon a story/ book that is based/inspired by it, because just like with history, everyone has learned it differently.
So, when this ARC sign up request came on my feed, I admit that I was a bit sceptical but kind of also excited. And after finishing it, I am beyond happy that I took a chance and read this story because it's simply magnificent and every part of Greek mythology has been respected to the highest degree.
I will really try to keep this a spoiler-free review because I HAVE SO MANY THINGS THAT I WANT TO SAY!!! But before I get into want this story made me feel, I have to first thank these amazing women, Maeve & Lena, for writing and getting this story out to the world. You blew me away. Your writing was magical and you hooked me into your story from the very start. The universe that you created in this book was a masterpiece, truly.
I admit that the first 25% of the book is quite slow and many things weren't making so much sense to me because it was impossible to predict what came next. But to me, this is when I know when a story is great and will probably get even better.
The first almost half of the book I can only describe it basically as the Olympian Hunger Games. The rest of it? Without a doubt a wildly emotional ride that I was in for every second of it, which left me pretty wrecked in the end after that haunting cliffhanger.
I loved every one of the characters - yes even Zeus who no one can deny that he is simply a major d*ck. From Charisma, to Shadow, to Artemis, Eros and the entire crew of Olympus, this story transported me to a realm where I loved getting lost in. Every scene was better than the last and there was a plot twist after plot twist after another.
Something that I definitely didn’t expect to find was the use of actual greek words in the text. I was so pleasantly surprised and I loved it so much that it made connect with the whole story even more.
I can't wait for the book to be released because I have become obsessed, invested and traumatised and I NEED TO KNOW BAADD what happens with Eros next!!!!.
If you haven’t got your hands on this book yet, you need to asap! This is a story that would surely captivate you and made you love Greek Mythology. Personally, it make me fall in love again with it. Maeve & Lena are two authors that you need in you reading roaster. You won't regret it!
As a Greek myself and someone who has loved Greek mythology since I was a little girl, I can’t help being a little bit hesitant when I come upon a story/ book that is based/inspired by it, because just like with history, everyone has learned it differently.
So, when this ARC sign up request came on my feed, I admit that I was a bit sceptical but kind of also excited. And after finishing it, I am beyond happy that I took a chance and read this story because it's simply magnificent and every part of Greek mythology has been respected to the highest degree.
I will really try to keep this a spoiler-free review because I HAVE SO MANY THINGS THAT I WANT TO SAY!!! But before I get into want this story made me feel, I have to first thank these amazing women, Maeve & Lena, for writing and getting this story out to the world. You blew me away. Your writing was magical and you hooked me into your story from the very start. The universe that you created in this book was a masterpiece, truly.
I admit that the first 25% of the book is quite slow and many things weren't making so much sense to me because it was impossible to predict what came next. But to me, this is when I know when a story is great and will probably get even better.
The first almost half of the book I can only describe it basically as the Olympian Hunger Games. The rest of it? Without a doubt a wildly emotional ride that I was in for every second of it, which left me pretty wrecked in the end after that haunting cliffhanger.
I loved every one of the characters - yes even Zeus who no one can deny that he is simply a major d*ck. From Charisma, to Shadow, to Artemis, Eros and the entire crew of Olympus, this story transported me to a realm where I loved getting lost in. Every scene was better than the last and there was a plot twist after plot twist after another.
Something that I definitely didn’t expect to find was the use of actual greek words in the text. I was so pleasantly surprised and I loved it so much that it made connect with the whole story even more.
I can't wait for the book to be released because I have become obsessed, invested and traumatised and I NEED TO KNOW BAADD what happens with Eros next!!!!.
If you haven’t got your hands on this book yet, you need to asap! This is a story that would surely captivate you and made you love Greek Mythology. Personally, it make me fall in love again with it. Maeve & Lena are two authors that you need in you reading roaster. You won't regret it!
February 21, 2026
2.75⭐️ rounded up
First of all, I appreciate the opportunity to have received this ARC by the authors.
I read the updated version and I wish this could’ve hit for me as much as I thought it would be but I had a hard time to connect to the characters, except for Shadow, I really liked that one. Other than that I felt like I couldn’t care less what happened to any of them.
Even though I read the updated version I feel like it still was a bit confusing at time and I wouldn’t mind a few extra pages to have a few doubts clarified more clearly.
When it comes to the trials I liked the first and second, the depth of what was happening made me feel intrigued but then I felt like I lost the plot.
And I have a LOT of questions still that I believe will be answered in the next book so I will still give it a chance to see the outcome!
First of all, I appreciate the opportunity to have received this ARC by the authors.
I read the updated version and I wish this could’ve hit for me as much as I thought it would be but I had a hard time to connect to the characters, except for Shadow, I really liked that one. Other than that I felt like I couldn’t care less what happened to any of them.
Even though I read the updated version I feel like it still was a bit confusing at time and I wouldn’t mind a few extra pages to have a few doubts clarified more clearly.
When it comes to the trials I liked the first and second, the depth of what was happening made me feel intrigued but then I felt like I lost the plot.
And I have a LOT of questions still that I believe will be answered in the next book so I will still give it a chance to see the outcome!
February 18, 2026
ARC REVIEW
---
Can you imagine entering your favorite books?
As an (extra)ordinary hero?
What if your worlds turns upside down with a blink of an eye?
Story inspired with Greek mythology.
One bed, dislike to like path.
Gods.
Mortals.
Gods.
Myths.
One human on a mission.
How to save herself?
How to go home, to her mother?
Slow start. (You need it to understand what goes on later. Believe me.)
Fun & games until it is not fun & games anymore.
Very much like it is not fun & games when the book ended on a such cliffhanger.
Feels while reading: good banter, intense, addictive - you can really read it in a few days, enjoyable.
I thank the authors for the ARC pick - and I so can't wait the second book!
---
Can you imagine entering your favorite books?
As an (extra)ordinary hero?
What if your worlds turns upside down with a blink of an eye?
Story inspired with Greek mythology.
One bed, dislike to like path.
Gods.
Mortals.
Gods.
Myths.
One human on a mission.
How to save herself?
How to go home, to her mother?
Slow start. (You need it to understand what goes on later. Believe me.)
Fun & games until it is not fun & games anymore.
Very much like it is not fun & games when the book ended on a such cliffhanger.
Feels while reading: good banter, intense, addictive - you can really read it in a few days, enjoyable.
I thank the authors for the ARC pick - and I so can't wait the second book!
February 23, 2026
ARC REVIEW
This was one of the Arcs i was especially curious about and it lays a strong and promising foundation for the series.
In God of Love, Charisma is thrust into a deadly game of Survival called the God's Gambit. Through these trials the story beautifully portrays both her strength and vulnerability showing how the two quality coexist with one another.
During this trial she met Eros, a god who vowed to never fall in love but for her he became fiercely protective. But what stood out the most was how attentive he was to her and because of that charisma is being herself with him and this is truly beautiful.
This was one of the Arcs i was especially curious about and it lays a strong and promising foundation for the series.
In God of Love, Charisma is thrust into a deadly game of Survival called the God's Gambit. Through these trials the story beautifully portrays both her strength and vulnerability showing how the two quality coexist with one another.
During this trial she met Eros, a god who vowed to never fall in love but for her he became fiercely protective. But what stood out the most was how attentive he was to her and because of that charisma is being herself with him and this is truly beautiful.
February 16, 2026
Genre: Dark Romance / Obsessive Love / Alpha Hero
Vibe: Intense. Addictive. Slightly dangerous.
God of Love delivers a powerful, emotionally charged romance where love isn’t soft — it’s consuming. The hero gives dominant, protective, slightly unhinged energy, while the heroine holds her ground with quiet strength. The chemistry? Immediate and electric.
Expect:
• Possessive hero energy
• Obsession masked as devotion
• High emotional stakes
• Tension-heavy romance
• Steamy scenes
This is not a light fluffy love story — it’s passionate, dramatic, and addictive.
Vibe: Intense. Addictive. Slightly dangerous.
God of Love delivers a powerful, emotionally charged romance where love isn’t soft — it’s consuming. The hero gives dominant, protective, slightly unhinged energy, while the heroine holds her ground with quiet strength. The chemistry? Immediate and electric.
Expect:
• Possessive hero energy
• Obsession masked as devotion
• High emotional stakes
• Tension-heavy romance
• Steamy scenes
This is not a light fluffy love story — it’s passionate, dramatic, and addictive.
February 17, 2026
I really wish I could have enjoyed this story but I just couldn't do it.
We started off in the middle of a story. Our FMC is already with the Greek Gods and the trials begin the next day. No context, nothing. She walks through a hidden door for no reason. Again, no context.
We are then dropped into the middle of a storyline for new character, Shadow. No context for their them either.
I just couldn't get past these plot holes so early in the book.
We started off in the middle of a story. Our FMC is already with the Greek Gods and the trials begin the next day. No context, nothing. She walks through a hidden door for no reason. Again, no context.
We are then dropped into the middle of a storyline for new character, Shadow. No context for their them either.
I just couldn't get past these plot holes so early in the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2026
I waited to post my review, as this was not a book for me. I hate rating books I don't finish (and I rarely DNF) but I think enough time has now passed.
I was really struggling with the writing, this felt and read like it was written by several authors. And not to mention, this feels like it should have been book 2 and there was a whole other story I've missed?
So unfortunetly, its a no from me.
I was really struggling with the writing, this felt and read like it was written by several authors. And not to mention, this feels like it should have been book 2 and there was a whole other story I've missed?
So unfortunetly, its a no from me.
February 16, 2026
I absolutely loved this book! It is a bit slow at the start but this is already mentioned and I personally love the build up to the ending. I can't wait for book 2 to find out more about what happens.
I loved seeing how thing progressed between Eros and Charisma and was thoroughly enthralled by the storyline! It was so so good and I can't wait for more of the series!!
I loved seeing how thing progressed between Eros and Charisma and was thoroughly enthralled by the storyline! It was so so good and I can't wait for more of the series!!
February 27, 2026
The story itself has so much promise. However, the first half of the story felt like it was missing a lot of information for the reader, it read as though we were meant to be in the authors mind and see the greater story rather than going in as a new reader
February 9, 2026
This book was genuinely so good and I loved the characters so much. I know it’s different for most people but I did enjoy the different povs in this book as it granted more perspective. Obviously this is an ARC so some things still need to be fixed and adjusted to make the story flow better. But other than that. I loved the story it was an interesting start but as the story progressed, I couldn’t put the book down! If you’re interested in Greek mythology/fantasy x hunger games vibes, I’d definitely give this book a read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was lucky enough to receive The God Of Love as an ARC.
If you love forbidden love, deathly games, and mythology, then this book is for you.
I found the story to be fast-paced and interesting , and I didn't want to put it down. I found the ending to be unique, and I'm looking forward to seeing where the story goes. Would love to see more back story for the mother and of the God Of Love.
I would have loved it more if there were more deathly trails and more love between the God Of Love and a certain character (no spoilers)
I was lucky enough to receive The God Of Love as an ARC.
If you love forbidden love, deathly games, and mythology, then this book is for you.
I found the story to be fast-paced and interesting , and I didn't want to put it down. I found the ending to be unique, and I'm looking forward to seeing where the story goes. Would love to see more back story for the mother and of the God Of Love.
I would have loved it more if there were more deathly trails and more love between the God Of Love and a certain character (no spoilers)
February 16, 2026
“You are deserving of happiness. Why be satisfied with less when you can aspire to more? Dreams cause no harm, but nightmares do, and it seems you are willingly compelling yourself into living one.”
This book has me gasping for air. A romance fantasy with Greek mythology elements? This was right up my alley. The writing itself wat beautifully Done.
For my fist ARC read I was really surprised. The beginning was a bit confusing, at times it felt like there were missing pages and we’re thrown straight into the story.
It was not a slow burn, it was very fast, so I sometimes missed some emotional build-up between them. But I loved their story.
But the book ends with a cliffhanger, it left me with big questions. It makes me really curious for the second book.
This book has me gasping for air. A romance fantasy with Greek mythology elements? This was right up my alley. The writing itself wat beautifully Done.
For my fist ARC read I was really surprised. The beginning was a bit confusing, at times it felt like there were missing pages and we’re thrown straight into the story.
It was not a slow burn, it was very fast, so I sometimes missed some emotional build-up between them. But I loved their story.
But the book ends with a cliffhanger, it left me with big questions. It makes me really curious for the second book.
February 19, 2026
Plot & Pacing
A Greek Mythology-inspired tale where the Gods ‘errors’, humans with a little too much of the Gods’ powers in them, have to participate in a set of deadly trials known as the Gods’ Gambit every century. Only one mortal may remain at the end of the trials… except this one. Charisma, who lives solely to take care of her ill mother, wakes up in a room with twelve other ‘errors’. But as the games begin, it becomes clear to Charisma that she has to worry about more than finding a way back to her mother and surviving the deadly trials. The God of Love, Eros, has taken an interest in her, and Zeus is suspicious of her resistance to his magic. As deadly plots, traitorous intentions and mountains of deception collide, will Charisma be able to survive and return to her mother, or will she be the start of the fall of the Gods' world?
I enjoyed the book, but unfortunately, I have a few problems with it. And before I get into what those are, I just want to say that I did enjoy this book, and it is a perfectly decent first book in the series. Everything that comes after this paragraph is just the things that stood out to me, regardless if their viewed as negative or positive.
1) The execution of some elements was lacking: This book is marketed as a romantasy, but to me, the romance is not developed enough to be called a true romantasy (explained more in the Romance section). I do not mean this in a mean way, but it was just very obvious that this was the authors first attempt at fantasy. I will dive into specifics more in the Worldbuilding section.
2) Mystery Elements: The mystery of Shadow and Zeus' plans would have been cooler for the audience if we had seen the contents of chapter 43 earlier (in my opinion), as it would have made Eros’ actions later in the book make a little more sense and given the reader a better insight into him and his intentions. And the whole Zeus plotline, which I understand was there to create tension and stakes, doesn’t work. By the time you get to the end of the book, his secret dealings with a certain god and goddess have been completely forgotten, and in the brief moment it is addressed, the severity of the supposed situation is lost. I think they leaned too much into the mystery and secrecy part of the plot and lost some of the important substance and worldbuilding along the way.
3) Reader Comprehension: Near the end of the book, when we start getting Eros’ point of view, the story becomes hard to follow because the authors are so focused on portraying Eros’ emotions that the plot gets lost. Which is points for character voice, but is unfortunately not all that helpful for reader comprehension. I think that this is also what messed with the pacing. The majority of the book has a medium pace, but in the last quarter, everything speeds up. When I say fast-paced, I mean that every plot beat comes one after the other, instead of building them over a few chapters like the first half did. Which, for me, made it hard to understand the significance of some of the revelations and information as they were just brushed over and forgotten about.
Characters
I love a sharp-witted character, and Charisma fits that bill perfectly. I think that if you want to read about a female main character whose greatest strength is her mind and not her ability to kill a man, then look no further. Charisma has a cunning and calculating nature, which makes sense for her character and is set up nicely in her backstory. I do wish that we got to spend more time with her in less life-threatening situations.
Eros is the God of Love and Desire, which the authors did a great job portraying. I also liked how they added a ‘darker’ side to him and subverted the expectation of who the God of Love is. One thing that I think could have been improved on is the reader's understanding of his actions. The majority of the book is told from either Charisma's or Shadow's perspective, so it makes sense that his actions might not make all that much sense. But even when we do get Eros’ point of view in the last third of the book, his actions don’t make all that much sense, and even though the authors focus on his emotions, I feel like there isn’t enough basis for how strong those emotions are and why they would be causing him to act the way he did. Because of this, I found it difficult to connect with him.
Romance
Honestly, framing this book as a romance is misleading. While Eros and Charisma definitely have a connection, I don't think it is one of romance. Their dynamic, from what was presented in the book, works better as friends rather than lovers, especially considering that Eros is still hung up on Psyche. The romance is there, but it was never given the time it needed to properly develop.
Worldbuilding
Most of the world-building was obviously inspired by Greek mythology, but the authors did add their own twist to it and added other elements as well. As I mentioned in the Plot & Pacing section, it was obvious that this was the author's first attempt at a fantasy novel. While the worldbuilding definitely had its strong suits, like the immersion (visuals and architecture) and the hierarchy of the creatures (e.g. Gods, humans, fairies), there were a few underdeveloped details. For instance, the magic system is rather undefined and confusing at times, and things like the world's layout, while helped by the map, are a little confusing because I wasn’t sure if Elythra (the home of the Gods) is another planet or if it is a separate realm to Earth.
Prose
For the prose, there are two points I want to bring up. The first point is that between the chapter points of view the writing perspective switches from first person to third person. First person for Charisma and third person for Shadow and Eros. I honestly didn’t even realise this till I read in someone else's review, so this switch-up didn’t bother me.
The second point is the use of different writing styles. For the humans (Charisma), a more casual writing style is used, and for the Gods (Shadow & Eros), a formal writing style is used. The use of formal language made it harder for me to understand what was going on and what connections I was supposed to make, as I had a difficult time understanding what Shadow and the Gods were saying sometimes because I was unfamiliar with the words being used, but I could pick up the meaning based on context most of the time.
Okay, so I know that this review seems like I hate the book and is very negative, so I just wanted to reiterate that I did enjoy the book and thought it was a decent first book in the series.
A Greek Mythology-inspired tale where the Gods ‘errors’, humans with a little too much of the Gods’ powers in them, have to participate in a set of deadly trials known as the Gods’ Gambit every century. Only one mortal may remain at the end of the trials… except this one. Charisma, who lives solely to take care of her ill mother, wakes up in a room with twelve other ‘errors’. But as the games begin, it becomes clear to Charisma that she has to worry about more than finding a way back to her mother and surviving the deadly trials. The God of Love, Eros, has taken an interest in her, and Zeus is suspicious of her resistance to his magic. As deadly plots, traitorous intentions and mountains of deception collide, will Charisma be able to survive and return to her mother, or will she be the start of the fall of the Gods' world?
I enjoyed the book, but unfortunately, I have a few problems with it. And before I get into what those are, I just want to say that I did enjoy this book, and it is a perfectly decent first book in the series. Everything that comes after this paragraph is just the things that stood out to me, regardless if their viewed as negative or positive.
1) The execution of some elements was lacking: This book is marketed as a romantasy, but to me, the romance is not developed enough to be called a true romantasy (explained more in the Romance section). I do not mean this in a mean way, but it was just very obvious that this was the authors first attempt at fantasy. I will dive into specifics more in the Worldbuilding section.
2) Mystery Elements: The mystery of Shadow and Zeus' plans would have been cooler for the audience if we had seen the contents of chapter 43 earlier (in my opinion), as it would have made Eros’ actions later in the book make a little more sense and given the reader a better insight into him and his intentions. And the whole Zeus plotline, which I understand was there to create tension and stakes, doesn’t work. By the time you get to the end of the book, his secret dealings with a certain god and goddess have been completely forgotten, and in the brief moment it is addressed, the severity of the supposed situation is lost. I think they leaned too much into the mystery and secrecy part of the plot and lost some of the important substance and worldbuilding along the way.
3) Reader Comprehension: Near the end of the book, when we start getting Eros’ point of view, the story becomes hard to follow because the authors are so focused on portraying Eros’ emotions that the plot gets lost. Which is points for character voice, but is unfortunately not all that helpful for reader comprehension. I think that this is also what messed with the pacing. The majority of the book has a medium pace, but in the last quarter, everything speeds up. When I say fast-paced, I mean that every plot beat comes one after the other, instead of building them over a few chapters like the first half did. Which, for me, made it hard to understand the significance of some of the revelations and information as they were just brushed over and forgotten about.
Characters
I love a sharp-witted character, and Charisma fits that bill perfectly. I think that if you want to read about a female main character whose greatest strength is her mind and not her ability to kill a man, then look no further. Charisma has a cunning and calculating nature, which makes sense for her character and is set up nicely in her backstory. I do wish that we got to spend more time with her in less life-threatening situations.
Eros is the God of Love and Desire, which the authors did a great job portraying. I also liked how they added a ‘darker’ side to him and subverted the expectation of who the God of Love is. One thing that I think could have been improved on is the reader's understanding of his actions. The majority of the book is told from either Charisma's or Shadow's perspective, so it makes sense that his actions might not make all that much sense. But even when we do get Eros’ point of view in the last third of the book, his actions don’t make all that much sense, and even though the authors focus on his emotions, I feel like there isn’t enough basis for how strong those emotions are and why they would be causing him to act the way he did. Because of this, I found it difficult to connect with him.
Romance
Honestly, framing this book as a romance is misleading. While Eros and Charisma definitely have a connection, I don't think it is one of romance. Their dynamic, from what was presented in the book, works better as friends rather than lovers, especially considering that Eros is still hung up on Psyche. The romance is there, but it was never given the time it needed to properly develop.
Worldbuilding
Most of the world-building was obviously inspired by Greek mythology, but the authors did add their own twist to it and added other elements as well. As I mentioned in the Plot & Pacing section, it was obvious that this was the author's first attempt at a fantasy novel. While the worldbuilding definitely had its strong suits, like the immersion (visuals and architecture) and the hierarchy of the creatures (e.g. Gods, humans, fairies), there were a few underdeveloped details. For instance, the magic system is rather undefined and confusing at times, and things like the world's layout, while helped by the map, are a little confusing because I wasn’t sure if Elythra (the home of the Gods) is another planet or if it is a separate realm to Earth.
Prose
For the prose, there are two points I want to bring up. The first point is that between the chapter points of view the writing perspective switches from first person to third person. First person for Charisma and third person for Shadow and Eros. I honestly didn’t even realise this till I read in someone else's review, so this switch-up didn’t bother me.
The second point is the use of different writing styles. For the humans (Charisma), a more casual writing style is used, and for the Gods (Shadow & Eros), a formal writing style is used. The use of formal language made it harder for me to understand what was going on and what connections I was supposed to make, as I had a difficult time understanding what Shadow and the Gods were saying sometimes because I was unfamiliar with the words being used, but I could pick up the meaning based on context most of the time.
Okay, so I know that this review seems like I hate the book and is very negative, so I just wanted to reiterate that I did enjoy the book and thought it was a decent first book in the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 229 reviews