They call her the voice of the gods. They call him the god of truth and order. Together, they become something neither of them was meant to be.
Seraphina was raised in the Temple of Apollo as an oracle, a mortal who delivers the prophecies of the gods. It is a rare honor—one she performs faithfully—but Seraphina's gift goes further than it should. She does not only hear the gods when they speak. She hears what they think.
Apollo is bound to order, law, and certainty. When an oracle begins hearing thoughts never meant to be heard, the pantheon demands answers. Sent to the mortal realm, Apollo keeps Seraphina close, determined to discover all he can about her ability.
As their uneasy alliance deepens, fascination turns into obsession and restraint begins to fracture. The oracle who hears too much and the god who cannot stop thinking about her are pulled toward a future neither of them intended. One neither of them may be able to escape.
I am obsessed with Seraphina's sass and charm. She wields both in such a beautiful way. Apollo is also book boyfriend material. He's so cute and although he's a fierce grumpy god, he's got such a soft and approachable way about him. I love how they compliment each other. It's such a cute novella and I loved the bits of spice strewn in. It's such a good one! A fun read and clever little story.
I appreciate the opportunity to read and review the advance copy of this book, and am eager for my paper copy order to arrive! There are so many elements of these novellas that I love and I’m really looking forward to the next one too. These books are perfect, quick reads for a relaxed day and well-suited for those who enjoy mythology retellings and open-door romance. If you prefer to skip the intimate details, the A Temple of Oath and Obsession still delivers a solid plot with a nuanced antagonists to lovers romance and a sassy FMC that I just love. This series isn’t academic historical fiction, but they’re excellent stories with a fun and cheeky take on the Roman pantheon.
𝙈𝛄 2 ¢𝓮𝞰𝒕𝐬: For the second time I am amazed at how well developed a story is offered in such a short novella! Kiara Rae delivers dimensional characters who draw you in and a plot full of emotional tension, sharp banter, and secrets that change everything.
I love that Seraphina is a woman who isn’t afraid to hold her own against Apollo, a god that she venerates, and the societal system that raised her. She isn’t just a voice for the gods as an oracle, she’s a woman who finds and stands in her own power. In the end she discovers that she’s so much more, and more powerful, than she could have dreamed.
Of course I love this story because of the immersion into Roman life and mythology. I really enjoy the crossover of historical fiction set in a temple and the supernatural impact of the mythological gods meddling in human affairs—and meddle they do! In the Roman Temple series you can expect the usual Roman god shenanigans and FMCs who aren’t afraid to talk back!
🌶️ a note on spice: This story is very, very spicy by my standards, but probably the average fare for most modern romance readers. (as always, I usually skip and don’t include these pages in my ratings/reviews)
“She is an itch beneath my skin, impossible to ignore, impossible to reach, and for the first time in a very long time, I am not entirely certain I want relief.”
Received an advanced reader copy from the author. This is my honest review.
4/5 ⭐
Strong-willed female characters for the win, especially those who dare to argue with the gods. And speaking of gods... who doesn't love one who is utterly captivated and willing to do anything to protect her?
Not to mention the forbidden tension and the "fuck it" moment. I've said it before and I'll say it again: best micro trope ever.
The chemistry was fantastic, and the banter was absolutely bantering. Half the reason I loved this book was watching them verbally and mentally spar with each other. The only thing I wish is that it had been a little longer. I felt the culmination was a tad rushed, but I still loved the ending.
Overall, such a good book. I'm so thankful to have received an ARC copy and even happier to be supporting Canadian authors.
This was a beautifully written story about gods, mortals, faith, transparency, and love. Even though it's a shorter read, it is packed with detail, emotion, and character development. Seraphina, the High Oracle, and Apollo, a powerful god, were captivating characters whose relationship kept me invested from beginning to end. When long-held secrets come to light, everything changes. One character is determined to stand by their beliefs and challenge a system built on decisions made behind closed doors, while the other is willing to risk everything for what truly matters. Watching their journey unfold was both emotional and rewarding. The romance was wonderfully done, with just the right amount of spice, and the banter between Seraphina and Apollo was an absolute highlight. Their chemistry jumped off the page and added so much charm to the story. A quick but meaningful read that blends mythology, romance, and thought-provoking themes into a memorable story.
Seraphina is an oracle for the temple of Apollo. She's been working in the temple basically for her whole life - her dad works there, too.
One day, while working in the course of her normal duties, she feels a bit strange. She's hearing some strange things. 🤔
That can't be -- she can't be hearing the thoughts of the gods...can she?
This was such a fun, spicy novella. At < 200 pages, it was a quick read with a fully developed plot.
I loved the Roman mythology usage! I haven't read a massive number of these kinds of books and really liked Apollo's character as well as the other gods.
Seraphina was a bold, confident FMC. What she went through in the book would be trying for a lot of people, but she just rocked it!
I love that it's an indigenous Canadian sister writing duo who wrote this! What a fantastic thing to be able to do with a sibling!
If you like the Percy Jackson books (but with adult spice) you may like this book.
Title: A Temple of Oath and Obsession ARC Provided By: Kiara Rae Release Date: 06/21/2026 Genre: Romance Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ Main Characters: Seraphina & Apollo Book Type: Standalone | Interconnected Series
Two moments that made me giggle and kick my legs 1. He wraps her inside his wings 2. He says…”beg” 🥵
This was written so beautifully and you can tell as you read through that the authors know what the girls want!
When I say Apollo is a Mr. Grumpy pants at first, he’s just that, but watching him struggle with being captivated by Seraphina made me LOSE IT. I went feral! He is hot, and knows just what to do to make her say his name. BUT, don’t get it twisted, He’s protective and will not let ANYONE lay a hand on her or speak ill of her.
Absolutely loved this book and can guarantee you will to! Get ready, because it’s coming 06/21/2026!!
Lucky to get this as an ARC, and it’s such a beautiful short story.
The story follows seraphina who is a raised in Apollos temple and is an oracle and hears the gods thoughts… Apollo himself is sent down to investigate what is going on and how a mortal can hear the gods.
Followed that up with a sarcastic hilarous very witty FMC and the same in Apollo who matches her banter each and every time. The romance is fast but funny, and hot…. The smut be smutting…. The story is easy to follow and keeps it interesting. And loving the little comments that bring the first book into it too…. As yes this can be read as a standalone but it is set in the same world as the previous one. Really really easy read and an enjoyable one too. Only critique for me is I just wanted more.
A Temple of Oath and Obsession is a wonderful story in a petite package! This story of Seraphina and Apollo is lovely, it somehow includes a quick burn with great spice, but also has the yearning and tenderness that comes with a slower burn.
Equally satisfying is seeing Seraphina discover herself, and come into her own, while Apollo gains his own independence. This is a fun and unique play on the roman gods, those elements really worked well with the overall story, making this mythology lover very happy! I really enjoyed this read, huge thank you to the authors for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was a quick, fast-paced, and spicy read that kept me engaged from start to finish. I really enjoyed the unique premise involving the gods, which added an intriguing layer to the story and made the world feel rich and compelling. The female main character was one of my favorite aspects of the book…strong-willed, fearless, and unapologetically herself. Her snarky personality and stubborn determination made her an entertaining and memorable character and I appreciated that she refused to bow down to anyone. Overall, this was an enjoyable read, and I’m definitely interested in seeing where the story goes next if there’s a second book.
Apollo is very protective of Seraphina from the beginning. I loved how he stood up for her in front of everyone and how he comforted her when she needed it the most.
Even though Seraphina went through a lot of hard moments and discovered a lot of sensitive secrets she remained true to herself and her beliefs.
I loved the relationship between the main characters, they had a strong connection for the beginning even though they disliked each other at first. Their dislike and bickering transformed into a very beautiful love.
If you are looking for something fun, but a quick read with banter, this is the book for you! This book had me giggling throughout it. Seraphina is a strong independant FMC who won't take orders even from a God!
This novella moved at a fast pace and kept me entertained until the end, and it had some nice spice as well.
I loved seeing Apollo undone by Seraphina, and wanting to protect and stand with her to support her.
A beautiful written story, with emotions and good character development.
The high Oracle Seraphina, and the powerful god Apollo are captivating characters, with some chemistry their romance and banter is mesmerising to read.
If you’re into mythology with some romance you don’t want miss this book.
Surprisingly for a short novella I really enjoyed the plot of the story. It flowed beautifully and Apollo was seen in a different light he fought for the love he unexpectedly felt for Seraphina. And the plot twist in the end made it a HEA.
I always love a good mythology retelling book and this is definitely that! I absolutely loved Apollo and Seraphina together! There chemistry and story was wonderful. This is a super fast read but there is so much packed into this short novella.