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Taming Winter
Taming Winter is a genderbent retelling of the greek story of Hades and Persephone, set in a dark dystopian world where the greek gods are a corrupt ruling class. Perfect for fans of Daggermouth and Neon Gods, this spicy dark romance is both politically immersive and emotionally impactful.
I’ve resisted her for a hundred years, but now I’m ready to give in.
Born alone into a brutal world controlled by immortals that desire nothing but power, Thane grows an icy heart to survive. A legendary assassin, he kills without hesitation and lives without regret. He doesn’t fear death… until it claims him.
When Thane dies, he comes face to face with the very black-hearted immortal he was sent to kill. Hades welcomes him with open arms and a torture cell made specially for him. His own sins, used against him to warp his mind. The only way out is to sell his soul, and Hades would love nothing more than to own him for the rest of eternity.
The most skilled assassin the world has ever seen was just dropped into Hades lap, and she is not letting go. She will use him to cut down those who wronged her and take back her power in the world of the living. Now Thane is trapped in a dangerous game with an immortal goddess who doesn’t just want to break him; She wants to own him. And the longer he stays under her control, the more he realizes the truth.
Giving in might be his damnation… but it might also be exactly what he was made for.
Assassin Romance, True Enemies to Lovers, Dominatrix, Possessive FMC, Morally Black MC’s, Fire Mommy, Ice Daddy
I’ve resisted her for a hundred years, but now I’m ready to give in.
Born alone into a brutal world controlled by immortals that desire nothing but power, Thane grows an icy heart to survive. A legendary assassin, he kills without hesitation and lives without regret. He doesn’t fear death… until it claims him.
When Thane dies, he comes face to face with the very black-hearted immortal he was sent to kill. Hades welcomes him with open arms and a torture cell made specially for him. His own sins, used against him to warp his mind. The only way out is to sell his soul, and Hades would love nothing more than to own him for the rest of eternity.
The most skilled assassin the world has ever seen was just dropped into Hades lap, and she is not letting go. She will use him to cut down those who wronged her and take back her power in the world of the living. Now Thane is trapped in a dangerous game with an immortal goddess who doesn’t just want to break him; She wants to own him. And the longer he stays under her control, the more he realizes the truth.
Giving in might be his damnation… but it might also be exactly what he was made for.
Assassin Romance, True Enemies to Lovers, Dominatrix, Possessive FMC, Morally Black MC’s, Fire Mommy, Ice Daddy
170 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 18, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 234 reviews
August 18, 2026
I will always chase that high from Pawn of the Cruel Princess to find another mistress/slave femdom story, that will match that book in quality but provide me a more satisfying ending. So obviously I was tempted to try this one.
The upsides:
Fmc is powerful, positively unhinged, and doesn't get softened or depowered to get her HEA.
A rare case of dark romance where it's the fmc who holds the power and mmc who falls for his torturer.
There are 3 spicy scenes keeping the femdom vibe across them, including
It's a short read.
There's a female rage element to the story.
The downsides:
The writing is clumsier than I expected. Wrong words ("taught" muscles instead of "taut", "hoards" of wraiths instead of "hordes"), SPAG errors ("millions of dollar's", why is the apostrophe here), repetitions. Two examples I've noted down:
"A man rushed me, but I launched jagged shards of ice launched from my palm, spearing him in the jugular in a rain of blood." (ch.8)
"The road was trimmed with towering white marble skyscrapers trimmed with gold and blue opal." (ch.13)
Author in general loves the word "trimmed" but I'm not sure it means what she wants it to mean. A road isn't really decorated with buildings...
Same when mmc says he's into that's again a wrong word,
And then, inconsistencies. There's a mention Hades is leaving her castle for the first time in 50 years... but the assassination attempt happened 100 years ago and that's what caused her to be locked in there?
Another example, it's described mmc as a wraith doesn't have eyes, but eye sockets full of blue fire. So how can he roll his eyes?
The narration was choppy and the transition between plot points fairly abrupt. It also meant the romance progressed in a fragmented manner, with sudden big jumps, rather than slow steady development. There was no buildup, just sudden changes of heart.
The dialogues read overly cheesy, I struggled to imagine these characters as immortal gods, because they talked like taken from a teenage tv show.
The above meant I struggled to immerse myself in the characters' emotions, because everything was happening super fast and the dialogue was edgy but shallow.
Also when it comes to plot, it's hard to believe fmc waited this long to do something that ultimately proved so easy.
The ending also wasn't very satisfying, because the main person who wronged her got away scot free. But maybe this is a bigger overarching plot for the whole series - there's a hint in the author's note there will be more books coming, but inside the book nothing states it's a part of a series, while on retailers it seems to be a part of an anthology of different retellings from different authors.
Conclusion:
I want a dark romance or femdom romance where I can immerse myself in the thought process and emotions of a powerful and/or morally grey woman, but they rarely deliver. Except that this one read fairly rushed and surface level, it also committed another common "sin" of femdom novels, which is keeping the fmc at arm's length from the reader and mostly seeing the story from the mmc's pov. It is dual pov, but with bigger focus on the mmc.
Seriously, most romance, no matter whether MF, MM or FF already puts the reader as default into the head of the submissive/underdog party, so I can never really fully explore the fantasy how it would be to self-insert into the character who holds power and control.
I wanted a more deep dive into their psyche, feel the relationship develop in a twisted but visceral way. And I wanted a plot where characters are challenged rather than everything being so simple and easy peasy. It feels a tad bit insulting that a powerful woman would do nothing about her fate for a century despite having the means all along, and only finally move her ass to sow chaos because of a man.
TW: Violence, torture including body horror, one sex scene where a participant is enslaved and can't say no, body betrayal / Stockholm Syndrome.
Thank you Hypatia Rhodes and BookSprout for the ARC.
And apologies to my bestie, Missfit, I wish I'd shared your love for this one, but alas, it just didn't click.
The upsides:
Fmc is powerful, positively unhinged, and doesn't get softened or depowered to get her HEA.
A rare case of dark romance where it's the fmc who holds the power and mmc who falls for his torturer.
There are 3 spicy scenes keeping the femdom vibe across them, including
It's a short read.
There's a female rage element to the story.
The downsides:
The writing is clumsier than I expected. Wrong words ("taught" muscles instead of "taut", "hoards" of wraiths instead of "hordes"), SPAG errors ("millions of dollar's", why is the apostrophe here), repetitions. Two examples I've noted down:
"A man rushed me, but I launched jagged shards of ice launched from my palm, spearing him in the jugular in a rain of blood." (ch.8)
"The road was trimmed with towering white marble skyscrapers trimmed with gold and blue opal." (ch.13)
Author in general loves the word "trimmed" but I'm not sure it means what she wants it to mean. A road isn't really decorated with buildings...
Same when mmc says he's into that's again a wrong word,
And then, inconsistencies. There's a mention Hades is leaving her castle for the first time in 50 years... but the assassination attempt happened 100 years ago and that's what caused her to be locked in there?
Another example, it's described mmc as a wraith doesn't have eyes, but eye sockets full of blue fire. So how can he roll his eyes?
The narration was choppy and the transition between plot points fairly abrupt. It also meant the romance progressed in a fragmented manner, with sudden big jumps, rather than slow steady development. There was no buildup, just sudden changes of heart.
The dialogues read overly cheesy, I struggled to imagine these characters as immortal gods, because they talked like taken from a teenage tv show.
The above meant I struggled to immerse myself in the characters' emotions, because everything was happening super fast and the dialogue was edgy but shallow.
Also when it comes to plot, it's hard to believe fmc waited this long to do something that ultimately proved so easy.
The ending also wasn't very satisfying, because the main person who wronged her got away scot free. But maybe this is a bigger overarching plot for the whole series - there's a hint in the author's note there will be more books coming, but inside the book nothing states it's a part of a series, while on retailers it seems to be a part of an anthology of different retellings from different authors.
Conclusion:
I want a dark romance or femdom romance where I can immerse myself in the thought process and emotions of a powerful and/or morally grey woman, but they rarely deliver. Except that this one read fairly rushed and surface level, it also committed another common "sin" of femdom novels, which is keeping the fmc at arm's length from the reader and mostly seeing the story from the mmc's pov. It is dual pov, but with bigger focus on the mmc.
Seriously, most romance, no matter whether MF, MM or FF already puts the reader as default into the head of the submissive/underdog party, so I can never really fully explore the fantasy how it would be to self-insert into the character who holds power and control.
I wanted a more deep dive into their psyche, feel the relationship develop in a twisted but visceral way. And I wanted a plot where characters are challenged rather than everything being so simple and easy peasy. It feels a tad bit insulting that a powerful woman would do nothing about her fate for a century despite having the means all along, and only finally move her ass to sow chaos because of a man.
TW: Violence, torture including body horror, one sex scene where a participant is enslaved and can't say no, body betrayal / Stockholm Syndrome.
Thank you Hypatia Rhodes and BookSprout for the ARC.
And apologies to my bestie, Missfit, I wish I'd shared your love for this one, but alas, it just didn't click.
Review of advance copy received from Author
"ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ'ᴠᴇ ᴘʀᴀʏᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴏᴅꜱ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ꜱᴇʟꜰɪꜱʜ ᴀꜱꜱʜᴏʟᴇꜱ, ꜱᴏ ɪ ᴋᴇᴘᴛ ᴍʏ ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴍʏꜱᴇʟꜰ."
— 𝕿𝖍𝖆𝖓𝖊.
💚 He was an assassin sent to kill her
💚 She's literally HADES
💚 First person dual POV
💚 Funishment for 100 years (and counting)
💚 Evil big brother (but it's Zeus)
💚 The worst Stockholm syndrome ever
💚 He likes being called ... 𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒃𝒐𝒚!
Okie Alexa, play Oh My God by I-DLE, please. But instead of taking us to the sky, the goddess in this book will drag us straight to Underworld and unleash chaos with her undead army 😱😱😱
Three words: WHAT. A. MASTERPIECE!!
I'm an ARC reader, but Taming Winter is undoubtedly one of the best books I've read this year!!
I still can't believe how much the author managed to fit into fewer than 200 pages, from a captivating dystopian world that brilliantly combines Greek mythology with a modern setting (and yup, there was a wonderfully corrupt government), to a delicious enemies to lovers romance with a role reversal (I'm still screaming 🌚), and eventually a deeply dysfunctional divine family whose issues run deeper than my wallet after payday.
It was crazy.
This book is crazy.
And now I'm going crazy!! 🤨
Also, if that hasn't sold you yet, the news anchor in this world is a PEACOCK!!
And yes, he sheds a lot 😒
You'll laugh reading this book. You'll want to punch Zeus. You'll feel evil and start laughing like a villain. Muahahaha. And if you're anything like me, you'll also be confused.
Because I had so many reasons to not like this book.
First, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.
I DNF'd another book with the exact same premise. It made me cringe so hard when a character named Ishtar was written like a teenager who goes shopping and playing with her phone. Not even my favorite kink could save it 😬 But Taming Winter grabbed me by the throat, dragged me into Olympiara, and refused to let me leave. How am I supposed to hate a world filled with corruption, filth, wrath, and absolutely gorgeous writing?
The prose in this book is just chef's kiss mwah mwah 😍🤌 I sacrificed my sleep and regretted absolutely nothing. Every time I finished a chapter, I swear my eyes scrolled to the next one by themselves.
WITCHCRAFT!!
"𝙃𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙠𝙞𝙣, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙖𝙛𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚. 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙚 𝙢𝙚."
"𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙢𝙚. 𝙄'𝙢 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮."
And of course my favorite quote:
"𝙏𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙮 𝙄'𝙢 𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙘𝙡𝙚."
I'M WHEEZING. 😭😭
Second, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗮𝗱𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.
Believe me when I say I'd rather read a math textbook than another grumpy shadow daddy romance. Seriously, I'm exhausted. At first, Thane came across as the stereotypical broody male lead with his "I've lost so much. Even killing doesn't excite me anymore. Look at my sadness😐" monologue. But he redeemed himself fast. He wasn't angry all the time. He didn't wallow endlessly in misery. The author did an incredible job making him protective without taking away Hades' authority. I really loved that 🥰🥰
Should I also mention he was very ... Vocal? 😏
"𝙁𝙪𝙘𝙠, 𝙮𝙚𝙨. 𝙔𝙚𝙨, 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚. 𝙁𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙡." 𝘼 𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙤𝙛 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙧𝙪𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙥𝙨. 𝙈𝙮 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙪𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙢𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙡𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜.
I don't care about men's opinions but THIS? WE. NEED. MORE. OF. THIS.
Third, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆.
Let me tell you, I'm currently in my "please stop recommending enemies to lovers" phase. I'm tired, boss. This trope is a dead horse people just keep beating. Give me shy adorable cozy friends to
lovers any day. But once again Taming Winter changed my mind.
"𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙮? 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙪𝙥 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚, 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙥𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚."
"𝘿𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙮, 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝. 𝙉𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙄 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙮 𝙖 𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙚𝙮𝙚, 𝙞𝙩'𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙗𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙗𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡."
Can you taste the hatred? How utterly sick they are of each other? The tension??Hades literally made Thane taste his own medicine and rewrote his identity 💀 THIS is what real enemies to lovers should feel like.
Also HE was the one suffering from body betrayal syndrome HAHAHAHA 😂
"𝙋𝙤𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙛 𝙄 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣'𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚."
Finally, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗙𝗠𝗖.
Whenever I pick up a book about a ruthless woman, I want her to stay ruthless. Don't let trauma make her hesitate. Don't let pain make her lose herself. Thankfully, Hypatia Rhodes delivered until the end 🤤 Instead of letting her trauma weaken her, Hades used it to burn almost an entire city down. Her pain became fuel. Rhodes really said feminine rage, and then took it to the next level 💅
Repeat after me: 𝗪𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻. Especially evil women who get 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲.
See? I should've DNF'd this book. Instead, I was gasping during certain scenes and giggling in bed during the smut.
This book completely flipped my brain upside down.
Bonus points because there was a torture scene involving a character I've never liked in Greek mythology. Seriously, I don't understand the appeal. They're always written as shallow, narcissistic player who somehow get away with everything just because they're looking good. So reading about them getting their ass kicked was incredibly satisfying.
Taming Winter? More like Taming My Sanity.
Next goddess, please ✨🥺
— 𝕿𝖍𝖆𝖓𝖊.
💚 He was an assassin sent to kill her
💚 She's literally HADES
💚 First person dual POV
💚 Funishment for 100 years (and counting)
💚 Evil big brother (but it's Zeus)
💚 The worst Stockholm syndrome ever
💚 He likes being called ... 𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒃𝒐𝒚!
Okie Alexa, play Oh My God by I-DLE, please. But instead of taking us to the sky, the goddess in this book will drag us straight to Underworld and unleash chaos with her undead army 😱😱😱
Three words: WHAT. A. MASTERPIECE!!
I'm an ARC reader, but Taming Winter is undoubtedly one of the best books I've read this year!!
I still can't believe how much the author managed to fit into fewer than 200 pages, from a captivating dystopian world that brilliantly combines Greek mythology with a modern setting (and yup, there was a wonderfully corrupt government), to a delicious enemies to lovers romance with a role reversal (I'm still screaming 🌚), and eventually a deeply dysfunctional divine family whose issues run deeper than my wallet after payday.
It was crazy.
This book is crazy.
And now I'm going crazy!! 🤨
Also, if that hasn't sold you yet, the news anchor in this world is a PEACOCK!!
And yes, he sheds a lot 😒
You'll laugh reading this book. You'll want to punch Zeus. You'll feel evil and start laughing like a villain. Muahahaha. And if you're anything like me, you'll also be confused.
Because I had so many reasons to not like this book.
First, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.
I DNF'd another book with the exact same premise. It made me cringe so hard when a character named Ishtar was written like a teenager who goes shopping and playing with her phone. Not even my favorite kink could save it 😬 But Taming Winter grabbed me by the throat, dragged me into Olympiara, and refused to let me leave. How am I supposed to hate a world filled with corruption, filth, wrath, and absolutely gorgeous writing?
The prose in this book is just chef's kiss mwah mwah 😍🤌 I sacrificed my sleep and regretted absolutely nothing. Every time I finished a chapter, I swear my eyes scrolled to the next one by themselves.
WITCHCRAFT!!
"𝙃𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙠𝙞𝙣, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙖𝙛𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚. 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙚 𝙢𝙚."
"𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙢𝙚. 𝙄'𝙢 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮."
And of course my favorite quote:
"𝙏𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙮 𝙄'𝙢 𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙘𝙡𝙚."
I'M WHEEZING. 😭😭
Second, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗮𝗱𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.
Believe me when I say I'd rather read a math textbook than another grumpy shadow daddy romance. Seriously, I'm exhausted. At first, Thane came across as the stereotypical broody male lead with his "I've lost so much. Even killing doesn't excite me anymore. Look at my sadness😐" monologue. But he redeemed himself fast. He wasn't angry all the time. He didn't wallow endlessly in misery. The author did an incredible job making him protective without taking away Hades' authority. I really loved that 🥰🥰
Should I also mention he was very ... Vocal? 😏
"𝙁𝙪𝙘𝙠, 𝙮𝙚𝙨. 𝙔𝙚𝙨, 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚. 𝙁𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙡." 𝘼 𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙤𝙛 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙧𝙪𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙥𝙨. 𝙈𝙮 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙪𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙢𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙡𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜.
I don't care about men's opinions but THIS? WE. NEED. MORE. OF. THIS.
Third, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆.
Let me tell you, I'm currently in my "please stop recommending enemies to lovers" phase. I'm tired, boss. This trope is a dead horse people just keep beating. Give me shy adorable cozy friends to
lovers any day. But once again Taming Winter changed my mind.
"𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙮? 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙪𝙥 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚, 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙥𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚."
"𝘿𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙮, 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝. 𝙉𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙄 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙮 𝙖 𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙚𝙮𝙚, 𝙞𝙩'𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙗𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙗𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡."
Can you taste the hatred? How utterly sick they are of each other? The tension??Hades literally made Thane taste his own medicine and rewrote his identity 💀 THIS is what real enemies to lovers should feel like.
Also HE was the one suffering from body betrayal syndrome HAHAHAHA 😂
"𝙋𝙤𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙛 𝙄 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣'𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚."
Finally, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗙𝗠𝗖.
Whenever I pick up a book about a ruthless woman, I want her to stay ruthless. Don't let trauma make her hesitate. Don't let pain make her lose herself. Thankfully, Hypatia Rhodes delivered until the end 🤤 Instead of letting her trauma weaken her, Hades used it to burn almost an entire city down. Her pain became fuel. Rhodes really said feminine rage, and then took it to the next level 💅
Repeat after me: 𝗪𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻. Especially evil women who get 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲.
See? I should've DNF'd this book. Instead, I was gasping during certain scenes and giggling in bed during the smut.
This book completely flipped my brain upside down.
Bonus points because there was a torture scene involving a character I've never liked in Greek mythology. Seriously, I don't understand the appeal. They're always written as shallow, narcissistic player who somehow get away with everything just because they're looking good. So reading about them getting their ass kicked was incredibly satisfying.
Taming Winter? More like Taming My Sanity.
Next goddess, please ✨🥺
Review of advance copy received from Author
3.5⭐️ rounded up to 4⭐️
Firstly, a thank you to Hypatia for allowing me to be an arc reader for this!
Now getting into things, I'm always a huge sucker for greek mythology retellings. No matter how many times Hades and Persephone's story is retold, I will read them all. What sets this one apart is the genderbent aspect of it. Making this change forces readers to reset what they know and usually expect in their characters and definitely makes for a fun story (especially during the spicy parts).
Hades and Thane thought this story were such an interesting couple straight from the beginning. I do wish that this was a full length novel instead of only a novella because I did want more from these characters and a slightly more expanded plot. I would have loved to see more time with them in the enemies element of their relationship and truly see the progression to being in love. That being said, I still enjoyed the route that Hypatia took for these characters.
If you're looking for something a bit different with your Hades and Persephone's retellings, maybe check this one out! Besides, who doesn't want a story with a dominant woman who calls him a good boy? 👀
✨ What you can expect ✨
❄️ Greek mythology retelling
🔥 Genderbent Hades x Persephone
❄️ Enemies To Lovers
🔥 Assassin Romance
❄️ Dominatrix
🔥 Possessive FMC
❄️ Master / Slave Dynamic
🔥 Touch HIM and Die
❄️ Ice Daddy
🔥 Fire Mommy
Firstly, a thank you to Hypatia for allowing me to be an arc reader for this!
Now getting into things, I'm always a huge sucker for greek mythology retellings. No matter how many times Hades and Persephone's story is retold, I will read them all. What sets this one apart is the genderbent aspect of it. Making this change forces readers to reset what they know and usually expect in their characters and definitely makes for a fun story (especially during the spicy parts).
Hades and Thane thought this story were such an interesting couple straight from the beginning. I do wish that this was a full length novel instead of only a novella because I did want more from these characters and a slightly more expanded plot. I would have loved to see more time with them in the enemies element of their relationship and truly see the progression to being in love. That being said, I still enjoyed the route that Hypatia took for these characters.
If you're looking for something a bit different with your Hades and Persephone's retellings, maybe check this one out! Besides, who doesn't want a story with a dominant woman who calls him a good boy? 👀
✨ What you can expect ✨
❄️ Greek mythology retelling
🔥 Genderbent Hades x Persephone
❄️ Enemies To Lovers
🔥 Assassin Romance
❄️ Dominatrix
🔥 Possessive FMC
❄️ Master / Slave Dynamic
🔥 Touch HIM and Die
❄️ Ice Daddy
🔥 Fire Mommy
August 10, 2026
4.5 ⭐️/5
What a cool quick read showing this dystopian world controlled by manipulative gods. Thane’s journey as mindless assassin attempting to kill Hades then being tortured by her for a century before signing his soul over to her and becoming her pet dog was crazy unhinged. But seeing him find purpose and belonging with her, feeling desire and purpose to help her and care for her, while still fearing her as she deserves was fun. Hades’ vulnerability shone through but she always kept control and power in a sexy, dominating, fearless way. She was quite scary! I loved seeing her ride-or-dies Lamia and Dany and I want to know more about them. Thane’s ice and Hades’ fire were perfect for each other and culminated in explosive sexual chemistry. I enjoyed the story and want to see Hades getting one over on her manipulating, cruel brother Zeus in an epic way.
Thank you to the author for an advanced reader copy, this review is given voluntarily.
What a cool quick read showing this dystopian world controlled by manipulative gods. Thane’s journey as mindless assassin attempting to kill Hades then being tortured by her for a century before signing his soul over to her and becoming her pet dog was crazy unhinged. But seeing him find purpose and belonging with her, feeling desire and purpose to help her and care for her, while still fearing her as she deserves was fun. Hades’ vulnerability shone through but she always kept control and power in a sexy, dominating, fearless way. She was quite scary! I loved seeing her ride-or-dies Lamia and Dany and I want to know more about them. Thane’s ice and Hades’ fire were perfect for each other and culminated in explosive sexual chemistry. I enjoyed the story and want to see Hades getting one over on her manipulating, cruel brother Zeus in an epic way.
Thank you to the author for an advanced reader copy, this review is given voluntarily.
July 9, 2026
Wow!
This was too good to put down. Not only do I love that this is a genderbent retelling of Hades & Persephone, but I love that it doesn’t follow the traditional rhythm of an H&P story. The enemies to lovers build up was a *fantastic* way to change things up between Hades and Thane (Persephone). The banter, the chaos, the spice has me waiting quite impatiently for our return to Olympiara only in hopes to continue to see the dynamic between these two continue.
Thane and Hades are perfect for each other in the sense that they both hold a little bit of darkness and a touch of insecurity within, building each other up after events that would otherwise tear them down. Their personalities so similar, yet so different mold them into a couple perfect for each other and for the creation of a new and hopefully improved Olympiara.
I hate to give too much away, so you’ll just have to read for yourself and discover an amazing new take on one of my favorite pairings.
This was too good to put down. Not only do I love that this is a genderbent retelling of Hades & Persephone, but I love that it doesn’t follow the traditional rhythm of an H&P story. The enemies to lovers build up was a *fantastic* way to change things up between Hades and Thane (Persephone). The banter, the chaos, the spice has me waiting quite impatiently for our return to Olympiara only in hopes to continue to see the dynamic between these two continue.
Thane and Hades are perfect for each other in the sense that they both hold a little bit of darkness and a touch of insecurity within, building each other up after events that would otherwise tear them down. Their personalities so similar, yet so different mold them into a couple perfect for each other and for the creation of a new and hopefully improved Olympiara.
I hate to give too much away, so you’ll just have to read for yourself and discover an amazing new take on one of my favorite pairings.
July 8, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
ARC READ!
Hades is a female & Thane fills the Persephone role in this spicy, unique retelling of some Greek mythology.
Enemies-to-lovers with some major “don’t touch him/her” story lines.
ARC READ!
Hades is a female & Thane fills the Persephone role in this spicy, unique retelling of some Greek mythology.
Enemies-to-lovers with some major “don’t touch him/her” story lines.
August 18, 2026
Hades as a dominant female was absolutely a 2026 bingo card entry I didn’t know I needed to have, and boy am I so freaking glad for that entry. 🥵 🥵 🌶️ 🌶️
The “true enemies to lovers” claim is a little soft for me personally. I’ve seen this done a little better. That being said, they do genuinely hate each other in the beginning. Thane quite literally attempted to assasinate Hades in chapter one, and then she spent a century having him tortured in Tartarus. So, there is that. They only seem to hold a moderately inconvenient grudge once he is released. Do they immediately fall in love, and have “goo goo eyes” for each other? Hell no. And thank goodness for that.
Thane/Wolfe is a complicated fellow though. Literally raised to be an assassin for hire. Do your job and ask no questions type of dude, and he was damn good at it. This is how he got into his situation in the first place. Didn’t spot the set up that would get him killed before it did, in fact, get him killed.
I am enamored with the gender-bent version of this story. Hades is this seriously badass, DOMINANT, misunderstood, boss lady. While Thane is an assassin-for-hire who, unfortunately, tried to kill Hades and spent a century paying for that mistake. Apollo and Hermes are both ass-kissers for Zeus - who is the big brother no one wants. Power hungry controlling prick.
Hades and Thane go from shagging to serious. And when Thane doesn’t come back from a mission, all hell breaks loose. Literally. I absolutely want more from this world.
The “true enemies to lovers” claim is a little soft for me personally. I’ve seen this done a little better. That being said, they do genuinely hate each other in the beginning. Thane quite literally attempted to assasinate Hades in chapter one, and then she spent a century having him tortured in Tartarus. So, there is that. They only seem to hold a moderately inconvenient grudge once he is released. Do they immediately fall in love, and have “goo goo eyes” for each other? Hell no. And thank goodness for that.
Thane/Wolfe is a complicated fellow though. Literally raised to be an assassin for hire. Do your job and ask no questions type of dude, and he was damn good at it. This is how he got into his situation in the first place. Didn’t spot the set up that would get him killed before it did, in fact, get him killed.
I am enamored with the gender-bent version of this story. Hades is this seriously badass, DOMINANT, misunderstood, boss lady. While Thane is an assassin-for-hire who, unfortunately, tried to kill Hades and spent a century paying for that mistake. Apollo and Hermes are both ass-kissers for Zeus - who is the big brother no one wants. Power hungry controlling prick.
Hades and Thane go from shagging to serious. And when Thane doesn’t come back from a mission, all hell breaks loose. Literally. I absolutely want more from this world.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2026
First of all, I’d like to thank the author for an ARC copy of this novella. I can’t imagine the blood sweat and tears that goes in to writing a book. I know I could never do it.
Honest review…
I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it either. I was a little lost the first half of the book, but that could be all on me because I don’t fully follow Greek methodology (still learning). The gender bent role of Hades (female) was an interesting twist. The spice was decent (about three open door scenes). I was a little annoyed, honestly, with the word repetition. I felt every page had AT LEAST one color mentioned, sometimes more. Once I did get a grasp on what was happening it felt a little rushed through. Wasn’t a whole lot of character/world building, but then again it is a novella and might delve deeper in book 1.
Thanks again for the opportunity and wish you the best of luck for release day (8.18.26).
Honest review…
I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it either. I was a little lost the first half of the book, but that could be all on me because I don’t fully follow Greek methodology (still learning). The gender bent role of Hades (female) was an interesting twist. The spice was decent (about three open door scenes). I was a little annoyed, honestly, with the word repetition. I felt every page had AT LEAST one color mentioned, sometimes more. Once I did get a grasp on what was happening it felt a little rushed through. Wasn’t a whole lot of character/world building, but then again it is a novella and might delve deeper in book 1.
Thanks again for the opportunity and wish you the best of luck for release day (8.18.26).
August 21, 2026
I love a powerful FMC and a MMC that drops to his knees for her. The vibes of this book were great. I also enjoyed the plot of this book. The fact that they were not born villains, but made by society. This Greek mythology twist was a short fun read. Of course I loved the spicy bits! I wish there was more to the story though. I wanted it to continue instead of ending the way it did. I need more, okay?! Also Hades being a woman was the best thing because everyone immediately thinks: man.
August 23, 2026
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to love this because the premise of a genderbent Hades/Persephone retelling with an assassin hired to kill Hades had SO much potential.
Unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me.
The plot was interesting and included a century of imprisonment, political drama, revenge, romance, and spice, but I felt like it was jumping from one huge plot point to the next before I had time to get invested in any of it. Novellas are great, but I think this story deserved to be at least a full length book.
My biggest issue was the relationship. I love enemies to lovers, but they jumped from one to the other so quickly that it was hard to believe. I wanted them to earn it, but they took no time to even get to know each other. He forgave very quickly and ignored his trauma because of his submissive kink. Hades enslaved and tortured this man, and I feel like having the story gloss over that so quickly for the sake of a kink implies that there are times when abuse can be excused by kink. The cornerstone of kink is consent, and she did not have his consent for their master/ slave dynamic for most of the book.
There were also some spelling/ grammar issues and repetition that threw me out of the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2026
Such a unique take on the Hades and Persephone myth. I loved the world Hypatia created, and the conflict between Hades, Zeus, and Apollo kept me turning the pages.
What stood out most, though, was the relationship between Hades and Thane. Their journey from enemies to lovers felt natural and completely authentic, making every step of their relationship satisfying to watch unfold.
I’ll definitely be picking up more of Hypatia’s books!
What stood out most, though, was the relationship between Hades and Thane. Their journey from enemies to lovers felt natural and completely authentic, making every step of their relationship satisfying to watch unfold.
I’ll definitely be picking up more of Hypatia’s books!
August 5, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 Taming Winter by Hypatia Rhodes
Okay, this Hades and Persephone gender-bent retelling was an interesting little novella! If you love dark romance, Greek mythology retellings, morally black characters, political drama, and a whole lot of spice, this one deserves a spot on your TBR.
I absolutely loved the dynamic between Thane and Hades. These two were EVERYTHING. Thane is the legendary assassin with an icy heart who has spent a hundred years resisting Hades, only to die and end up exactly where she has always wanted him, in her Underworld. And Hades? She is NOT letting him go.
I loved how long these two had been circling each other and how that history played into their relationship. Hades has been waiting for him for a hundred years, and when she finally gets him, she wastes absolutely no time making sure he knows exactly who is in control. 😂
And Hades herself? FIRE. She is the Queen of the Underworld, powerful, possessive, dominant, and surrounded by her castle and magic. She has that whole “I will burn the world down and look fabulous doing it” energy, and I was here for every second of it.
Then you have Thane, our Ice Daddy. 🥶🔥 He is an assassin who kills without hesitation, carries plenty of darkness of his own, and definitely isn’t the easiest man to break. Which makes the whole Fire Mommy + Ice Daddy dynamic even better. And honestly… she really did tame winter. 😂
Beyond the romance, I really enjoyed the political drama, family drama, power struggles, and insecurities woven throughout the story. This isn’t just a simple Hades and Persephone retelling. It’s set in a dark dystopian world where the Greek gods are the corrupt ruling class, and Hades has her own reasons for wanting to reclaim her power and take down those who have wronged her.
The true enemies-to-lovers dynamic, the possessive FMC, the morally black characters, and the dominatrix energy made this such a fun read.
🔥 Fire Mommy + Ice Daddy
💀 True enemies to lovers
👑 Possessive FMC
🖤 Morally black characters
⚔️ Assassin romance
🏛️ Greek mythology retelling
🌶️ Spicy dark romance
👑 Queen of the Underworld
If you’re looking for a quick, spicy dark romance novella with a unique Greek mythology twist, pick this one up!
You will absolutely not regret it. And if you’re a sucker for a powerful woman who knows exactly what she wants and an icy man who desperately needs to learn to surrender… WELCOME TO THE UNDERWORLD. 🖤🔥
Okay, this Hades and Persephone gender-bent retelling was an interesting little novella! If you love dark romance, Greek mythology retellings, morally black characters, political drama, and a whole lot of spice, this one deserves a spot on your TBR.
I absolutely loved the dynamic between Thane and Hades. These two were EVERYTHING. Thane is the legendary assassin with an icy heart who has spent a hundred years resisting Hades, only to die and end up exactly where she has always wanted him, in her Underworld. And Hades? She is NOT letting him go.
I loved how long these two had been circling each other and how that history played into their relationship. Hades has been waiting for him for a hundred years, and when she finally gets him, she wastes absolutely no time making sure he knows exactly who is in control. 😂
And Hades herself? FIRE. She is the Queen of the Underworld, powerful, possessive, dominant, and surrounded by her castle and magic. She has that whole “I will burn the world down and look fabulous doing it” energy, and I was here for every second of it.
Then you have Thane, our Ice Daddy. 🥶🔥 He is an assassin who kills without hesitation, carries plenty of darkness of his own, and definitely isn’t the easiest man to break. Which makes the whole Fire Mommy + Ice Daddy dynamic even better. And honestly… she really did tame winter. 😂
Beyond the romance, I really enjoyed the political drama, family drama, power struggles, and insecurities woven throughout the story. This isn’t just a simple Hades and Persephone retelling. It’s set in a dark dystopian world where the Greek gods are the corrupt ruling class, and Hades has her own reasons for wanting to reclaim her power and take down those who have wronged her.
The true enemies-to-lovers dynamic, the possessive FMC, the morally black characters, and the dominatrix energy made this such a fun read.
🔥 Fire Mommy + Ice Daddy
💀 True enemies to lovers
👑 Possessive FMC
🖤 Morally black characters
⚔️ Assassin romance
🏛️ Greek mythology retelling
🌶️ Spicy dark romance
👑 Queen of the Underworld
If you’re looking for a quick, spicy dark romance novella with a unique Greek mythology twist, pick this one up!
You will absolutely not regret it. And if you’re a sucker for a powerful woman who knows exactly what she wants and an icy man who desperately needs to learn to surrender… WELCOME TO THE UNDERWORLD. 🖤🔥
August 18, 2026
Five stars. ❄️🖤
Taming Winter is the kind of book that reminds me why I love dystopian romance. It delivers everything I look for in the genre: a harsh and unforgiving world, characters forced to make impossible choices, and a romance that feels earned through every challenge they face.
From the opening chapters, I was pulled into a setting where survival is never guaranteed. The atmosphere is dark and immersive, creating a constant sense of tension that kept me invested in every page. Hypatia Rhodes does a wonderful job of balancing the larger dystopian elements with the emotional journey of the characters, ensuring that neither overshadows the other.
One of my favorite aspects of this book was the character development. The protagonists felt layered and believable, carrying their own fears, strengths, and vulnerabilities. Watching them navigate a dangerous world while slowly learning to trust one another created an emotional depth that elevated the story beyond a typical romance. Their connection develops naturally, making every interaction meaningful and every moment of vulnerability hit even harder.
The romance itself was beautifully written. Rather than feeling rushed, it grows through shared struggles, difficult decisions, and mutual understanding. The emotional tension is just as compelling as the external conflict, and I found myself rooting for the characters every step of the way.
The pacing worked incredibly well for me. There was always something happening—whether it was action, emotional growth, or revelations about the world—so I never felt tempted to put the book down. The writing is engaging and accessible, making it easy to become completely absorbed in the story.
What stood out most was the balance between darkness and hope. Even in the bleakest moments, the story never loses sight of the humanity at its core. That combination made the emotional payoff feel especially satisfying.
If you enjoy dark dystopian romance, high stakes, compelling character dynamics, and stories where love becomes a source of strength in a broken world, I highly recommend Taming Winter.
A captivating blend of danger, resilience, and romance that kept me hooked from beginning to end. An easy five-star read for me. ✨️
Taming Winter is the kind of book that reminds me why I love dystopian romance. It delivers everything I look for in the genre: a harsh and unforgiving world, characters forced to make impossible choices, and a romance that feels earned through every challenge they face.
From the opening chapters, I was pulled into a setting where survival is never guaranteed. The atmosphere is dark and immersive, creating a constant sense of tension that kept me invested in every page. Hypatia Rhodes does a wonderful job of balancing the larger dystopian elements with the emotional journey of the characters, ensuring that neither overshadows the other.
One of my favorite aspects of this book was the character development. The protagonists felt layered and believable, carrying their own fears, strengths, and vulnerabilities. Watching them navigate a dangerous world while slowly learning to trust one another created an emotional depth that elevated the story beyond a typical romance. Their connection develops naturally, making every interaction meaningful and every moment of vulnerability hit even harder.
The romance itself was beautifully written. Rather than feeling rushed, it grows through shared struggles, difficult decisions, and mutual understanding. The emotional tension is just as compelling as the external conflict, and I found myself rooting for the characters every step of the way.
The pacing worked incredibly well for me. There was always something happening—whether it was action, emotional growth, or revelations about the world—so I never felt tempted to put the book down. The writing is engaging and accessible, making it easy to become completely absorbed in the story.
What stood out most was the balance between darkness and hope. Even in the bleakest moments, the story never loses sight of the humanity at its core. That combination made the emotional payoff feel especially satisfying.
If you enjoy dark dystopian romance, high stakes, compelling character dynamics, and stories where love becomes a source of strength in a broken world, I highly recommend Taming Winter.
A captivating blend of danger, resilience, and romance that kept me hooked from beginning to end. An easy five-star read for me. ✨️
August 20, 2026
This is a dark fantasy retelling romance - please check the content warnings before reading.
Taming Winter is the story of Hades, the Goddess of the Dead and ruler of the Underworld, or that's what her brother Zeus made her believe. When a human assassin, Thane, enters her domain and tries to kill her, she takes the one thing from him she can, his soul. However, Thane isn't all he seems and their bond becomes something more than just a master and slave dynamic.
This book was a fantastic start to this unravelling story of Hades and how she isn't the creature everyone has been taught to fear. I enjoyed the way it was told from both Thane's and her point of view and you could really feel the emotional depths that are explored between them.
In regards to Thane, I loved the way the story develops from his damnation and torture and Hades making him and offer for an entire century before he gives in and realises his power and true nature. The deep journey into acceptance for him is well written and I think it brings an extra layer to both the story and his character. I also think it is part of what brings him and Hades closer together.
Hades has been manipulated for most of her life and although she is now becoming more aware of what has been done to her, she still cannot help some of her learned behaviours when it comes to men, her brothers and the others around her. She is clearly a strong woman who knows what she wants but something in her has been supressed by guilt and fear. The way the story builds to her realising her truth and also accepting that she is not the monster someone else has made her was beautiful and emotional to experience.
Her connection with Thane and how it develops from something dark and sinister to something passionate but still dark and deliciously wicked.
There is the perfect amount of lust, spice and longing that it adds to the story rather and detracting from it.
The plot twist was good, however a little predictable but I think the way the story goes from it was well done and good plot arc.
I would like to know more about the characters and see where this story will develop further and hope that Hypatia writes a sequel.
Overall, an enjoyable read with strong, morally grey characters and a good love the villain vibe.
Would recommend to anyone who enjoys dark romantasy reads and mythology retellings.
Taming Winter is the story of Hades, the Goddess of the Dead and ruler of the Underworld, or that's what her brother Zeus made her believe. When a human assassin, Thane, enters her domain and tries to kill her, she takes the one thing from him she can, his soul. However, Thane isn't all he seems and their bond becomes something more than just a master and slave dynamic.
This book was a fantastic start to this unravelling story of Hades and how she isn't the creature everyone has been taught to fear. I enjoyed the way it was told from both Thane's and her point of view and you could really feel the emotional depths that are explored between them.
In regards to Thane, I loved the way the story develops from his damnation and torture and Hades making him and offer for an entire century before he gives in and realises his power and true nature. The deep journey into acceptance for him is well written and I think it brings an extra layer to both the story and his character. I also think it is part of what brings him and Hades closer together.
Hades has been manipulated for most of her life and although she is now becoming more aware of what has been done to her, she still cannot help some of her learned behaviours when it comes to men, her brothers and the others around her. She is clearly a strong woman who knows what she wants but something in her has been supressed by guilt and fear. The way the story builds to her realising her truth and also accepting that she is not the monster someone else has made her was beautiful and emotional to experience.
Her connection with Thane and how it develops from something dark and sinister to something passionate but still dark and deliciously wicked.
There is the perfect amount of lust, spice and longing that it adds to the story rather and detracting from it.
The plot twist was good, however a little predictable but I think the way the story goes from it was well done and good plot arc.
I would like to know more about the characters and see where this story will develop further and hope that Hypatia writes a sequel.
Overall, an enjoyable read with strong, morally grey characters and a good love the villain vibe.
Would recommend to anyone who enjoys dark romantasy reads and mythology retellings.
August 26, 2026
I love when a retelling makes me look at a story I already know and think, “Oh… we're doing THIS with it?” 😂🖤
That was my experience with Taming Winter.
The genderbent Hades and Persephone concept immediately caught my attention, but what really sold me was how far this story takes the mythology away from anything resembling a traditional retelling.
The Greek gods aren't romanticized.
They're powerful.
They're corrupt.
They're terrifying.
And that completely changes the atmosphere of the story.
I also loved the idea of taking the familiar descent into the underworld and turning it into something much more psychologically intense. Instead of simply asking “What happens when Persephone meets Hades?", this book plays with power, ownership, survival, and what happens when two dangerous people collide.
And Thane being an assassin?
Honestly, perfect choice.
There's something deliciously ironic about taking someone who has spent his life being the most dangerous person in the room and putting him somewhere that danger means something completely different.
That was the part I found most fascinating.
The mythology gives the story its bones, but the dystopian world gives it its teeth.
And I appreciated that the romance doesn't feel like it's trying to make everything pretty. It's dark. It's uncomfortable. It's obsessive. It's supposed to make you question where attraction ends and power begins.
Basically, this is what I want from a dark mythology retelling:
Take something familiar.
Turn it upside down.
Make it darker.
Then make me wonder why I'm enjoying it so much.😂
A twisted Hades and Persephone retelling with a completely different dynamic, a brutal dystopian world, and enough darkness to make the original myth look positively wholesome. 🖤🔥
That was my experience with Taming Winter.
The genderbent Hades and Persephone concept immediately caught my attention, but what really sold me was how far this story takes the mythology away from anything resembling a traditional retelling.
The Greek gods aren't romanticized.
They're powerful.
They're corrupt.
They're terrifying.
And that completely changes the atmosphere of the story.
I also loved the idea of taking the familiar descent into the underworld and turning it into something much more psychologically intense. Instead of simply asking “What happens when Persephone meets Hades?", this book plays with power, ownership, survival, and what happens when two dangerous people collide.
And Thane being an assassin?
Honestly, perfect choice.
There's something deliciously ironic about taking someone who has spent his life being the most dangerous person in the room and putting him somewhere that danger means something completely different.
That was the part I found most fascinating.
The mythology gives the story its bones, but the dystopian world gives it its teeth.
And I appreciated that the romance doesn't feel like it's trying to make everything pretty. It's dark. It's uncomfortable. It's obsessive. It's supposed to make you question where attraction ends and power begins.
Basically, this is what I want from a dark mythology retelling:
Take something familiar.
Turn it upside down.
Make it darker.
Then make me wonder why I'm enjoying it so much.😂
A twisted Hades and Persephone retelling with a completely different dynamic, a brutal dystopian world, and enough darkness to make the original myth look positively wholesome. 🖤🔥
Review of advance copy received from Author
Rating: 3.5 stars.
First, I would like to thank the author for the ARC copy; I enjoyed reading this novella.
Taming Winter is a light read for anyone who enjoys dystopian worlds and dark characters; not necessarily evil, but drawn to the dark side by circumstances. The fact that Hades is portrayed as a woman is very interesting. The opening chapter is very well written and puts us straight into action. The language is coherent, and the story moves smoothly between scenes. This novella contains minimal info-dumping, as the narrative flows fast and naturally. The character-driven narrative works really well; however, there were some moments where emotions were stated directly. The phrase "I hate her" is overused and could have been replaced by physical reactions.
One thing I didn’t like was that the dual point of view was jumping around too quickly. I didn't get the time to connect with the characters before switching to the other one. It sometimes even felt confusing. Because it was a short novella, the dual POV felt unnecessary. It would have been much stronger if there had been only one.
Another minus point is the pacing. I think the story would have been much better as a novel because the relationship between the two main characters moves way too quickly; this affects the believability of the story. As someone who suffered for 100 years, the grounding of the relationship should have been built slowly and deliberately. This felt a bit rushed.
On the other hand, the open ending is really well written. I love how things didn't resolve fully, but we still get a sense of an ending, which is satisfying; it was very well done.
If you like dark and disturbing imagery, dark romance, and a unique world, you will enjoy reading this novella.
First, I would like to thank the author for the ARC copy; I enjoyed reading this novella.
Taming Winter is a light read for anyone who enjoys dystopian worlds and dark characters; not necessarily evil, but drawn to the dark side by circumstances. The fact that Hades is portrayed as a woman is very interesting. The opening chapter is very well written and puts us straight into action. The language is coherent, and the story moves smoothly between scenes. This novella contains minimal info-dumping, as the narrative flows fast and naturally. The character-driven narrative works really well; however, there were some moments where emotions were stated directly. The phrase "I hate her" is overused and could have been replaced by physical reactions.
One thing I didn’t like was that the dual point of view was jumping around too quickly. I didn't get the time to connect with the characters before switching to the other one. It sometimes even felt confusing. Because it was a short novella, the dual POV felt unnecessary. It would have been much stronger if there had been only one.
Another minus point is the pacing. I think the story would have been much better as a novel because the relationship between the two main characters moves way too quickly; this affects the believability of the story. As someone who suffered for 100 years, the grounding of the relationship should have been built slowly and deliberately. This felt a bit rushed.
On the other hand, the open ending is really well written. I love how things didn't resolve fully, but we still get a sense of an ending, which is satisfying; it was very well done.
If you like dark and disturbing imagery, dark romance, and a unique world, you will enjoy reading this novella.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Taming winter is a fantasy, hades and persephone retelling by new to me author — Hypatia Rhodes. I received an ARC of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Story : ⭐⭐⭐
Plot : ⭐⭐⭐
Rating : ⭐⭐
Writing style : flows well, easy to read, but i found it a bit hard to understand in the beginning.
MMC : ⭐⭐⭐ thane is opposite of so many male characters i’ve read, he felt refreshing.
FMC : ⭐⭐ hades was a woman in this book, and this was a bit odd but the power dynamics was done well, i liked that.
Story setting : dystopian.
Pacing : medium.
Tropes : ☑️ fantasy romance.
☑️touch her and die.
☑️he barks.
☑️protective hero.
☑️ possesive hero.
☑️She’s the dominant one.
☑️Captor/ captive.
☑️She’s the one who keeps him captive.
Tags for the book : fantasy romance, power dynamics, a different retelling to hades and persephone’s stories we know, short story, not a lengthy novel, fights, written well.
What i loved : i loved the power dynamics, unfortunately i didn’t like anything else, i really don’t like leaving negative reviews, but this one wasn’t for me as much as I thought. No hard feelings towards the author, or the book.
Is a part of a series : yes.
Series name : not known yet.
Series order number : blank.
Plot or character driven : schedule driven.
Loveable characters : no. (Not for me).
Strong character development : a little? Yes.
Flaws of characters a main focus : yes.
Interconnected/ or standalone : interconnected.
Last details : to the author, thankyou for providing me with the arc of this book, and i’m really sorry but this book did not feel connecting as much as I thought it would.
Story : ⭐⭐⭐
Plot : ⭐⭐⭐
Rating : ⭐⭐
Writing style : flows well, easy to read, but i found it a bit hard to understand in the beginning.
MMC : ⭐⭐⭐ thane is opposite of so many male characters i’ve read, he felt refreshing.
FMC : ⭐⭐ hades was a woman in this book, and this was a bit odd but the power dynamics was done well, i liked that.
Story setting : dystopian.
Pacing : medium.
Tropes : ☑️ fantasy romance.
☑️touch her and die.
☑️he barks.
☑️protective hero.
☑️ possesive hero.
☑️She’s the dominant one.
☑️Captor/ captive.
☑️She’s the one who keeps him captive.
Tags for the book : fantasy romance, power dynamics, a different retelling to hades and persephone’s stories we know, short story, not a lengthy novel, fights, written well.
What i loved : i loved the power dynamics, unfortunately i didn’t like anything else, i really don’t like leaving negative reviews, but this one wasn’t for me as much as I thought. No hard feelings towards the author, or the book.
Is a part of a series : yes.
Series name : not known yet.
Series order number : blank.
Plot or character driven : schedule driven.
Loveable characters : no. (Not for me).
Strong character development : a little? Yes.
Flaws of characters a main focus : yes.
Interconnected/ or standalone : interconnected.
Last details : to the author, thankyou for providing me with the arc of this book, and i’m really sorry but this book did not feel connecting as much as I thought it would.
August 14, 2026
The first thing I’d like to do is thank the author for welcoming me into the ARC team for this book!!
Taming Winter is a gender bent version of Hades and Persephone and let me tell you, it is done wonderfully! Hades is a woman learning from her mistakes and not afraid to step up and do what’s right as she learns, with a but of moral greyness, obviously.
The Greek gods aren’t considered gods, they are immortals, and after Thane (Persephone) tries to kill Hades he is trapped and tormented for 100 years. This is where my issue with this book came in, but we will circle back to that.
The relationships between the immortals/gods is fascinating, as it usually is. They obviously don’t get along and every single one of them is playing their own angle and their own politics. It makes the dystopian world even more interesting to dive into.
The two main characters also both have a lot of morally grey traits to them, including they both have that “touch them and die” mentality. It’s used by both of them throughout the book and really tells you a lot about their relationship in my opinion. It was fascinating to read and had me on the edge of my seat near the end.
Now, onto those 100 years. I know it’s a shorter book, so we didn’t have a ton of time to dwell on it, but I feel like we skipped the enemies part of enemies to lovers. It mentions that Hades visited Thane once a day, everyday for 100 year, but we only see it happen once and pretty soon after they’re recovering and falling in love. I feel like it would’ve helped a bit to dig into those visits and see why they could move past the hate once he wasn’t being tortured anymore.
Overall though, it was a great book and I look forward to the rest of the series!
Taming Winter is a gender bent version of Hades and Persephone and let me tell you, it is done wonderfully! Hades is a woman learning from her mistakes and not afraid to step up and do what’s right as she learns, with a but of moral greyness, obviously.
The Greek gods aren’t considered gods, they are immortals, and after Thane (Persephone) tries to kill Hades he is trapped and tormented for 100 years. This is where my issue with this book came in, but we will circle back to that.
The relationships between the immortals/gods is fascinating, as it usually is. They obviously don’t get along and every single one of them is playing their own angle and their own politics. It makes the dystopian world even more interesting to dive into.
The two main characters also both have a lot of morally grey traits to them, including they both have that “touch them and die” mentality. It’s used by both of them throughout the book and really tells you a lot about their relationship in my opinion. It was fascinating to read and had me on the edge of my seat near the end.
Now, onto those 100 years. I know it’s a shorter book, so we didn’t have a ton of time to dwell on it, but I feel like we skipped the enemies part of enemies to lovers. It mentions that Hades visited Thane once a day, everyday for 100 year, but we only see it happen once and pretty soon after they’re recovering and falling in love. I feel like it would’ve helped a bit to dig into those visits and see why they could move past the hate once he wasn’t being tortured anymore.
Overall though, it was a great book and I look forward to the rest of the series!
Review of advance copy
Thank you so much to Hypatia Rhodes for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review. 💙
❄️ In a world frozen by darkness, survival is everything… but sometimes the most dangerous thing you can find is someone who makes you feel again. ❄️
Taming Winter pulled me into a harsh and captivating dystopian world filled with danger, secrets, and the kind of emotional intensity that keeps you turning the pages.
Hypatia Rhodes creates an atmosphere that feels cold, unforgiving, and beautifully haunting. The world-building drew me in with its sense of survival and uncertainty, while the characters brought the emotional depth that made the story truly compelling.
The relationship at the centre of this story was filled with tension, complexity, and those moments where trust has to be earned rather than freely given. I loved watching the characters navigate their fears, their pasts, and the challenges of a world that constantly tests their limits.
This is a story that explores resilience, power, survival, and the unexpected connections that can form even in the darkest circumstances. With its darker themes, emotional stakes, and gripping romance, Taming Winter is perfect for readers who enjoy dystopian worlds with a strong romantic edge.
✨ Perfect for readers who love:
❄️ Dark dystopian worlds
🖤 Forbidden connections
🔥 Emotional romance
⚔️ Survival and danger
🌙 Complex characters
If you’re looking for a romance that is intense, atmospheric, and full of wintery darkness, Taming Winter deserves a place on your TBR. ❄️🖤
Thank you again for the ARC, Hypatia Rhodes! 💙
❄️ In a world frozen by darkness, survival is everything… but sometimes the most dangerous thing you can find is someone who makes you feel again. ❄️
Taming Winter pulled me into a harsh and captivating dystopian world filled with danger, secrets, and the kind of emotional intensity that keeps you turning the pages.
Hypatia Rhodes creates an atmosphere that feels cold, unforgiving, and beautifully haunting. The world-building drew me in with its sense of survival and uncertainty, while the characters brought the emotional depth that made the story truly compelling.
The relationship at the centre of this story was filled with tension, complexity, and those moments where trust has to be earned rather than freely given. I loved watching the characters navigate their fears, their pasts, and the challenges of a world that constantly tests their limits.
This is a story that explores resilience, power, survival, and the unexpected connections that can form even in the darkest circumstances. With its darker themes, emotional stakes, and gripping romance, Taming Winter is perfect for readers who enjoy dystopian worlds with a strong romantic edge.
✨ Perfect for readers who love:
❄️ Dark dystopian worlds
🖤 Forbidden connections
🔥 Emotional romance
⚔️ Survival and danger
🌙 Complex characters
If you’re looking for a romance that is intense, atmospheric, and full of wintery darkness, Taming Winter deserves a place on your TBR. ❄️🖤
Thank you again for the ARC, Hypatia Rhodes! 💙
Review of advance copy received from Author
***Thank you to Hypatia Rhodes for the ARC. All opinions are my own.***
What a dark, slightly unhinged, perfect spin on Hades and Persephone’s story.
Rhodes’ style hooked me from the first line, pulling me into the dark, ruinous world of Olympiara. Thane is a trained assassin who makes the mistake of believing the immortals are untouchable. Hades is a ruthless goddess who makes sure that evil is punished and her wraiths are protected.
We love a strong FMC over here, and Hades has immediately been added to the list of those I admire. She refuses to give in and does not lose herself in the process of falling for her captive. In fact, she grows more powerful since she has a purpose.
Thane is a complicated character, but one thing is for certain: he is a major sufferer of Stockholm Syndrome, and I absolutely loved it, as crazy as that sounds. He’s feral for Hades by the end and understands her in ways no one else can. From dog to loyal follower, his story is a wild ride that I enjoyed taking.
This was a true enemies-to-lovers story, with the two of them hating each other’s guts for a good portion of the book. When they do become lovers, the spice turns up ten notches, and we discover how well fire and ice actually go together.
From the descriptions to the world-building, the accurate depictions of both the Greek pantheon and PTSD, Taming Winter earned every single one of the five stars I gave it. I would love to see more Greek re-tellings from Rhodes because she adds such a unique flair to her stories. If you love morally bankrupt characters that have been soaked in darkness but are down bad for each other by the end, this is the book for you.
What a dark, slightly unhinged, perfect spin on Hades and Persephone’s story.
Rhodes’ style hooked me from the first line, pulling me into the dark, ruinous world of Olympiara. Thane is a trained assassin who makes the mistake of believing the immortals are untouchable. Hades is a ruthless goddess who makes sure that evil is punished and her wraiths are protected.
We love a strong FMC over here, and Hades has immediately been added to the list of those I admire. She refuses to give in and does not lose herself in the process of falling for her captive. In fact, she grows more powerful since she has a purpose.
Thane is a complicated character, but one thing is for certain: he is a major sufferer of Stockholm Syndrome, and I absolutely loved it, as crazy as that sounds. He’s feral for Hades by the end and understands her in ways no one else can. From dog to loyal follower, his story is a wild ride that I enjoyed taking.
This was a true enemies-to-lovers story, with the two of them hating each other’s guts for a good portion of the book. When they do become lovers, the spice turns up ten notches, and we discover how well fire and ice actually go together.
From the descriptions to the world-building, the accurate depictions of both the Greek pantheon and PTSD, Taming Winter earned every single one of the five stars I gave it. I would love to see more Greek re-tellings from Rhodes because she adds such a unique flair to her stories. If you love morally bankrupt characters that have been soaked in darkness but are down bad for each other by the end, this is the book for you.
August 17, 2026
"You don't need to hide from me, I'm yours for eternity."
Personally, I love a good Hades and Persephone retelling and this one is a genderbent novella! The twist made it a delight to read. Hypatia did not hold back and delivered graphic images right from the start. (Please, please check your triggers before reading this book.)
She used effective visuals to convey the very disturbing torture scenes. Let’s just say that Thane, a cold-hearted assassin (our MMC), was a very naughty boy and Hades was giving him exactly what he deserved. You can't blame her since Thane did try to kill her. They are true enemies. She even curses him with the power of ice to her power of flames. It sure makes the spicy parts really interesting!
Hades is an unhinged, dominating goddess and Thane fights back until he ultimately surrenders--selling his soul to her after enduring for a hundred years. Thane becomes Hades' "dog" and realizes he likes her overpowering him as much as she enjoys doing it. They are two puzzle pieces that fit better together than alone. Thane and Hades are very similar in that they are byproducts of their environment. They aren't necessarily bad. Both did the best they could with the hand they were dealt.
"Your brother shucked you to the side and left you to rot, and my parents threw me away like trash.”
If you are ready for a twisted spicy Greek mythology retelling, a dystopian world, meddling gods, killer banter, and dark romance add this novella to your tbr.
Thank you Hypatia for having me as an arc reader. This is my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Honestly, this story was everything! Genderbent? Yes, please. Skilled assassin turned golden retriever (but only for her)? Hell yeah! Greek gods as a corrupt ruling class? *insert drooling gif*
Every single aspect of this story was composed so brilliantly - flowing from one chaotic, effed up situation to the next. The chemistry between Thane and Hades is magnetic, possessive, and absolutely delectable.
First, you have the pantheon of Greek gods and goddesses as an amoral and deceitful ruling class - exercising complete and totally control over the rest of the population.
Then you have Thane, the most skilled assassin of all time tasked with taking out Hades, goddess of the Underworld. That doesn't really work out all that well for him... at first. After a failed attempt at murder, Thane is forced to endure unimaginable torment at the hand of Hades as she endeavors to break him completely. And when he finally does give in? Oh, boy! Now the fun really begins.
Finally, there's Hades - dominant, possessive, and absolutely PISSED! After getting Thane to break, she makes him hers in every way possible. What follows is a messy and chaotic game of Hades versus the rest of her family, using Thane has her weapon of choice.
Dark, twisted, and delightful! Fans of a true enemies to lovers story (she does torture him for like a century, so you can bet that he definitely hates her... until he doesn't), a possessive FMC, morally black everyone, and a Fire Mommy/Ice Daddy dynamic will LOVE "Taming Winter."
Every single aspect of this story was composed so brilliantly - flowing from one chaotic, effed up situation to the next. The chemistry between Thane and Hades is magnetic, possessive, and absolutely delectable.
First, you have the pantheon of Greek gods and goddesses as an amoral and deceitful ruling class - exercising complete and totally control over the rest of the population.
Then you have Thane, the most skilled assassin of all time tasked with taking out Hades, goddess of the Underworld. That doesn't really work out all that well for him... at first. After a failed attempt at murder, Thane is forced to endure unimaginable torment at the hand of Hades as she endeavors to break him completely. And when he finally does give in? Oh, boy! Now the fun really begins.
Finally, there's Hades - dominant, possessive, and absolutely PISSED! After getting Thane to break, she makes him hers in every way possible. What follows is a messy and chaotic game of Hades versus the rest of her family, using Thane has her weapon of choice.
Dark, twisted, and delightful! Fans of a true enemies to lovers story (she does torture him for like a century, so you can bet that he definitely hates her... until he doesn't), a possessive FMC, morally black everyone, and a Fire Mommy/Ice Daddy dynamic will LOVE "Taming Winter."
Review of advance copy received from Author
This novella was everything I wanted, and WAY MORE. I am genuinely blown away by how artfully crafted this book is, and if you love greek mythology retellings, go get this book right now! [Just check your trigger warnings... this is quite dark, y'all!]
What the author delivered that I had wanted:
- Hades & Persephone retelling, gender bent. This particular Greek myth is my kryptonite, and I will read anything that is an H&P-inspired tale.
- A specific brand of spice that I'm convinced only Hypatia Rhodes can deliver, with dominance dynamics, smut, and tasty prose blending into book-markable scenes you want to reread. A lot.
- An immersive, interesting world that you want more of.
What else I got that I wasn't expecting:
- A tale of two broken people finding each other. (TBH I should have known... House of Wolves had this too and was equally well done)
- Strong feminist vibes, with our delicious female Hades at the center. I'd change teams for her.
- Social commentary that was equal parts brilliantly done and uncomfortable (intentionally).
As an aside: I really want to punch Zeus in the face. I wait anxiously for his comeuppance in future books!
I cannot believe how much was packed into just over 150 pages. It was incredibly well done, and I cannot wait for more, HR. So yeah... get back to writing, girl! ;)
I received an advanced copy of this novella from the author. My opinions are 100% my own.
What the author delivered that I had wanted:
- Hades & Persephone retelling, gender bent. This particular Greek myth is my kryptonite, and I will read anything that is an H&P-inspired tale.
- A specific brand of spice that I'm convinced only Hypatia Rhodes can deliver, with dominance dynamics, smut, and tasty prose blending into book-markable scenes you want to reread. A lot.
- An immersive, interesting world that you want more of.
What else I got that I wasn't expecting:
- A tale of two broken people finding each other. (TBH I should have known... House of Wolves had this too and was equally well done)
- Strong feminist vibes, with our delicious female Hades at the center. I'd change teams for her.
- Social commentary that was equal parts brilliantly done and uncomfortable (intentionally).
As an aside: I really want to punch Zeus in the face. I wait anxiously for his comeuppance in future books!
I cannot believe how much was packed into just over 150 pages. It was incredibly well done, and I cannot wait for more, HR. So yeah... get back to writing, girl! ;)
I received an advanced copy of this novella from the author. My opinions are 100% my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
In this dark, more modern Hades and Persephone retelling Hades is a dominating female immortal and Thane is a ruthless assassin who is apparently content
to be on the receiving end of that dominance.
I really enjoyed Hades and Thane’s interactions, especially because they are both fundamentally broken and have become morally black as a result of the lives they’ve lived. I liked getting little glimpses of Hades’ vulnerability beneath all that power and control, and Thane definitely brings some excellent “touch her and die” energy at the end.
My biggest issue was that their connection moved way too quickly for me. Considering everything that happened between them before they started getting closer, I needed more time to actually believe in their relationship. I know this is a novella, so there’s only so much room to develop things, but I really wanted more of the messy, complicated process of these two damaged people forming this bond.
The modern, dystopian setting was fine, though we didn’t see a lot of it. The spice leans dark, and it worked for the story.
To me, the ending felt a little too neat considering how complicated these two are, which probably added to my feeling that I needed more from the story overall.
I enjoyed this but, I’m undecided about if I would continue the series, if there will be one. There are definitely some interesting ideas and characters here, but I’d need more depth and development to really get invested in this world.
to be on the receiving end of that dominance.
I really enjoyed Hades and Thane’s interactions, especially because they are both fundamentally broken and have become morally black as a result of the lives they’ve lived. I liked getting little glimpses of Hades’ vulnerability beneath all that power and control, and Thane definitely brings some excellent “touch her and die” energy at the end.
My biggest issue was that their connection moved way too quickly for me. Considering everything that happened between them before they started getting closer, I needed more time to actually believe in their relationship. I know this is a novella, so there’s only so much room to develop things, but I really wanted more of the messy, complicated process of these two damaged people forming this bond.
The modern, dystopian setting was fine, though we didn’t see a lot of it. The spice leans dark, and it worked for the story.
To me, the ending felt a little too neat considering how complicated these two are, which probably added to my feeling that I needed more from the story overall.
I enjoyed this but, I’m undecided about if I would continue the series, if there will be one. There are definitely some interesting ideas and characters here, but I’d need more depth and development to really get invested in this world.
Review of advance copy
🖤🖤🖤 He was made to hate her. Wanting her was never part of the plan. 🌶️🌶️🌶️
In my scoring system this is a solid 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Taming Winter is definitely a different take on the Greek gods, and I have to give the author credit for creating something that feels distinct from the usual mythology-inspired romances. Making Hades a powerful, morally gray woman was an especially interesting choice, and there is no shortage of darkness, tension, tortured characters, and spice here.
There were honestly a lot of ingredients that should have made this a home run for me. I enjoy damaged characters, complicated relationships, morally gray characters, strong FMCs, enemies-to-lovers tension, and plenty of heat. This book checks quite a few of those boxes.
There is definitely trauma, conflict, attraction, and character development happening beneath the surface.
The worldbuilding and reinterpretation of the Greek gods add an interesting layer, and the darker dystopian elements give the story more depth than a straightforward spicy romance. There is also plenty of heat for readers who want their mythology with a generous side of spice. 🔥
I can appreciate what this book was trying to accomplish, and I think readers who enjoy dark fantasy romance, spicy enemies-to-lovers, powerful FMCs, morally questionable characters, and unconventional takes on mythology could really enjoy it.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
In my scoring system this is a solid 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Taming Winter is definitely a different take on the Greek gods, and I have to give the author credit for creating something that feels distinct from the usual mythology-inspired romances. Making Hades a powerful, morally gray woman was an especially interesting choice, and there is no shortage of darkness, tension, tortured characters, and spice here.
There were honestly a lot of ingredients that should have made this a home run for me. I enjoy damaged characters, complicated relationships, morally gray characters, strong FMCs, enemies-to-lovers tension, and plenty of heat. This book checks quite a few of those boxes.
There is definitely trauma, conflict, attraction, and character development happening beneath the surface.
The worldbuilding and reinterpretation of the Greek gods add an interesting layer, and the darker dystopian elements give the story more depth than a straightforward spicy romance. There is also plenty of heat for readers who want their mythology with a generous side of spice. 🔥
I can appreciate what this book was trying to accomplish, and I think readers who enjoy dark fantasy romance, spicy enemies-to-lovers, powerful FMCs, morally questionable characters, and unconventional takes on mythology could really enjoy it.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC READ
Taming Winter is such a fun and unexpected twist on the classic Hades and Persephone myth! I’ve read so many versions of their story, so having Hades as the woman and Thane taking on the Persephone role immediately grabbed my attention.
This was a fast-paced, spicy, enemies-to-lovers read packed with action, manipulation, tortured characters, and some seriously questionable gods. Hades was everything I wanted in a FMC—powerful, dominant, fearless, and just a little terrifying. 😏 Thane starts out as the assassin sent to kill her, but watching his journey from a broken killer to someone who finds purpose, belonging, and a reason to protect Hades was one of my favorite parts.
And the chemistry between these two? 🔥🔥🔥 Their ice-and-fire dynamic was absolutely explosive!
I did feel like the story moved a little too quickly at times. There was SO much happening in such a short book that I occasionally wanted more development and explanation between the major plot points.
Still, I had a great time with this retelling. The unique mythology spin, role reversal, strong FMC, banter, action, and spice made this one a memorable read.
And can we talk about “good boy”? Because… yeah. 😂🔥
Definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for a quick, dark, spicy Greek mythology retelling with a seriously badass Hades!
Taming Winter is such a fun and unexpected twist on the classic Hades and Persephone myth! I’ve read so many versions of their story, so having Hades as the woman and Thane taking on the Persephone role immediately grabbed my attention.
This was a fast-paced, spicy, enemies-to-lovers read packed with action, manipulation, tortured characters, and some seriously questionable gods. Hades was everything I wanted in a FMC—powerful, dominant, fearless, and just a little terrifying. 😏 Thane starts out as the assassin sent to kill her, but watching his journey from a broken killer to someone who finds purpose, belonging, and a reason to protect Hades was one of my favorite parts.
And the chemistry between these two? 🔥🔥🔥 Their ice-and-fire dynamic was absolutely explosive!
I did feel like the story moved a little too quickly at times. There was SO much happening in such a short book that I occasionally wanted more development and explanation between the major plot points.
Still, I had a great time with this retelling. The unique mythology spin, role reversal, strong FMC, banter, action, and spice made this one a memorable read.
And can we talk about “good boy”? Because… yeah. 😂🔥
Definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for a quick, dark, spicy Greek mythology retelling with a seriously badass Hades!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Hades and Persephone retellings are some of my favorite reads, so I already knew I had to pick this one up, especially with the genderbent twist. And I’m happy to say I ended up really enjoying it!
I really enjoyed having a morally grey FMC. Hades was ruthless, calculating, and absolutely not someone you’d want to get on the wrong side of, which made her such a fun character to follow. I love when a main character isn’t perfectly good, and she definitely kept things interesting.
I also loved the mix of Greek mythology with the dystopian setting. It gave the story a unique feel compared to other retellings I’ve read, and I had a lot of fun watching everything unfold. There were a few moments where I wished we got a little more, but overall I stayed invested and was always curious to see what would happen next.
This ended up being a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me! If you love Hades and Persephone retellings, I think this one is definitely worth checking out. Check the trigger warnings, it does get dark!
I’m really intrigued to see where this series goes next, and I’ll absolutely be picking up the next book!
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 🤍
I really enjoyed having a morally grey FMC. Hades was ruthless, calculating, and absolutely not someone you’d want to get on the wrong side of, which made her such a fun character to follow. I love when a main character isn’t perfectly good, and she definitely kept things interesting.
I also loved the mix of Greek mythology with the dystopian setting. It gave the story a unique feel compared to other retellings I’ve read, and I had a lot of fun watching everything unfold. There were a few moments where I wished we got a little more, but overall I stayed invested and was always curious to see what would happen next.
This ended up being a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me! If you love Hades and Persephone retellings, I think this one is definitely worth checking out. Check the trigger warnings, it does get dark!
I’m really intrigued to see where this series goes next, and I’ll absolutely be picking up the next book!
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 🤍
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
This book was too good to put down.
I was given this book as an arc reader and I am going to give my honest opinion. I have to say this was an amazing read. I am all for Greek mythology and love reading anything to do with the gods. If you are a fan of Greek mythology then you will love this book. I love how the author changed hades into a female. The book just draws you in especially when you first start reading. The characters and plot are well written. There is definitely a good amount of spice. I love how the author makes zezus and the other gods look evil. When we read other books about them they are always the good guys, so it is definitely refershing to see them portrayed as the villians. Hades was portrayed fantastic and I love how we see her as a good person because we have always seen her as the evil. I love how the author made those changes and definitely did a twist on theses characters. I love how thane who was angry and hesitant and wanted out of his contract started to have feelings for Hades. This is definitely a true enemies to lovers book and I throughly enjoyed it. I give this book a 5 star rating. If you are looking for an enemies to lovers book this book is for you. You definitely won’t be disappointed.
I was given this book as an arc reader and I am going to give my honest opinion. I have to say this was an amazing read. I am all for Greek mythology and love reading anything to do with the gods. If you are a fan of Greek mythology then you will love this book. I love how the author changed hades into a female. The book just draws you in especially when you first start reading. The characters and plot are well written. There is definitely a good amount of spice. I love how the author makes zezus and the other gods look evil. When we read other books about them they are always the good guys, so it is definitely refershing to see them portrayed as the villians. Hades was portrayed fantastic and I love how we see her as a good person because we have always seen her as the evil. I love how the author made those changes and definitely did a twist on theses characters. I love how thane who was angry and hesitant and wanted out of his contract started to have feelings for Hades. This is definitely a true enemies to lovers book and I throughly enjoyed it. I give this book a 5 star rating. If you are looking for an enemies to lovers book this book is for you. You definitely won’t be disappointed.
August 15, 2026
“Remember our deal. Be a good boy today."
Taming Winter is perfect if you want a quick, spicy, indulgent read with a side of violence fit for the Underworld.
You get a dom, fierce fire mommy and an ice daddy who yearns to serve, witty writing that doesn’t waste time on fluff but still manages to instill vivid imagery and depth, ~plus~ some super HOT HOT HOT smut.
Hades, Queen of the Underworld has a nice ring to it and is one of the main things that attracted me to this book. She is sensual but rough, takes no shit, and will do her part to make sure you’re held accountable.
Thane is a straight-up morally black assassin who spends 100 years paying for his crimes. Is his yearning for Hades out of a corrupt souls craving for its master or something more?
Let’s just say, it’s one steamy ride! 😈
I seriously loved Taming Winter. By the end I was able to identify key vibes that really engaged me - it had the gritty, dark world of Sin City, the brutality and feminine rage of Kill Bill, and the sexy, queen of the underworld vibes of Bedazzled.
Definitely a five star read! Shoutout to the author for the opportunity to read this before everyone else! The thought and care put into the characters shines through and makes the spicier moments all the more fun to read.
Taming Winter is perfect if you want a quick, spicy, indulgent read with a side of violence fit for the Underworld.
You get a dom, fierce fire mommy and an ice daddy who yearns to serve, witty writing that doesn’t waste time on fluff but still manages to instill vivid imagery and depth, ~plus~ some super HOT HOT HOT smut.
Hades, Queen of the Underworld has a nice ring to it and is one of the main things that attracted me to this book. She is sensual but rough, takes no shit, and will do her part to make sure you’re held accountable.
Thane is a straight-up morally black assassin who spends 100 years paying for his crimes. Is his yearning for Hades out of a corrupt souls craving for its master or something more?
Let’s just say, it’s one steamy ride! 😈
I seriously loved Taming Winter. By the end I was able to identify key vibes that really engaged me - it had the gritty, dark world of Sin City, the brutality and feminine rage of Kill Bill, and the sexy, queen of the underworld vibes of Bedazzled.
Definitely a five star read! Shoutout to the author for the opportunity to read this before everyone else! The thought and care put into the characters shines through and makes the spicier moments all the more fun to read.
August 18, 2026
*** ARC Review ***
Rating 4/5 ⭐
Spice 3/5 🌶️
Thank you to Hypatia Rhodes for selecting me as an ARC reviewer.
I am a sucker for retellings, especially Greek mythology ones. The tried and true Hades & Persephone one is usually always portrayed as a broody but softy Hades and a sweetheart but cunning Persephone. This novella turns that on its head and I'm here for it! Not only is the story gender-swapped. But our Persephone is now the bringer of destruction at the behest of Hades. I really enjoyed the story arc of this book, even as short as it was, the story was fully fleshed out, and it left enough space to continue as a series. I loved Hades’ ruthlessness and short temper. She is not meek or soft, she’s the ruler of the underworld, and it shows. She was absolutely brutal to Wolfe, but *technically* didn't give him what he didn't deserve. Their romance was a bit rushed, but that’s to be expected with a novella that starts with the main characters meeting (as opposed to a novella where they already know each other so we could skip that part). They make up this with amazing banter, and some one liners that had me laughing and kicking my feet.
Rating 4/5 ⭐
Spice 3/5 🌶️
Thank you to Hypatia Rhodes for selecting me as an ARC reviewer.
I am a sucker for retellings, especially Greek mythology ones. The tried and true Hades & Persephone one is usually always portrayed as a broody but softy Hades and a sweetheart but cunning Persephone. This novella turns that on its head and I'm here for it! Not only is the story gender-swapped. But our Persephone is now the bringer of destruction at the behest of Hades. I really enjoyed the story arc of this book, even as short as it was, the story was fully fleshed out, and it left enough space to continue as a series. I loved Hades’ ruthlessness and short temper. She is not meek or soft, she’s the ruler of the underworld, and it shows. She was absolutely brutal to Wolfe, but *technically* didn't give him what he didn't deserve. Their romance was a bit rushed, but that’s to be expected with a novella that starts with the main characters meeting (as opposed to a novella where they already know each other so we could skip that part). They make up this with amazing banter, and some one liners that had me laughing and kicking my feet.
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