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Lords of the Underworld #3
Patron of Mercy
Lach has spent the last few thousand years counting only on himself. What he needed, he took. What he wanted, he won with charm. All except a god he turned his back on an age ago, when he had a different name and didn’t know what he was giving up.
Thanatos, god of merciful death, is one of the gentlest gods in the pantheon—easing the transition between life and death for billions of mortals. But he has faced eternity alone. After breaking his heart on the sharp words of a fisherman’s son, he hasn’t been able to connect with anyone.
Now, Lach is crashing back into Thanatos’s life, dragging him into an adventure that could save the world . . . or kill them both.
PATRON OF MERCY IS THE THIRD BOOK IN A SERIES, BUT CAN BE READ AS A STAND ALONE NOVEL.
Thanatos, god of merciful death, is one of the gentlest gods in the pantheon—easing the transition between life and death for billions of mortals. But he has faced eternity alone. After breaking his heart on the sharp words of a fisherman’s son, he hasn’t been able to connect with anyone.
Now, Lach is crashing back into Thanatos’s life, dragging him into an adventure that could save the world . . . or kill them both.
PATRON OF MERCY IS THE THIRD BOOK IN A SERIES, BUT CAN BE READ AS A STAND ALONE NOVEL.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 18, 2019
119 people are currently reading
275 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
July 9, 2019
That was my favourite of three exceptionally good paranormal romances which shone a light onto the lesser known inhabitants of Greek Mythology's Underworld.
I've always been a fan of Thanatos, (the actual God of the Dead, not the Marvel villain 😁 ) and I've never been a believer of the bad rap that Hesiod gave him ...has a heart of iron, and his spirit within him is pitiless as bronze.
To me, he's more the ever dutiful representation of the spirit which takes us to our eternal rest, or to the Elysian Fields if you're a Greek Mythology fan, and not some hideous skeletal embodiment ready to scare us into our graves!
To pair him with the accidentally immortal Glaucus was a move of genius on the parts of Sam and Waverly because he's a capricious character, one who has no single origin myth but a number of different mixed tales all of which involve him losing his mortal state when he inadvertently ate a magic herb.
Here, he's a sort of piratical type, wandering the oceans and doing deeds for Gaia, the Earth Titaness, while wishing he'd not been so afraid of dying that he'd rejected his lover Thanatos after a number of years.
The slow rapprochement between the two is handled beautifully, as they're forced back into each other's orbit by the fall out of events in the previous two books. This does, however, work as a standalone but you'd be missing out on two cracking good paranormal romances.
With a secondary plot that wouldn't have been out of place in an Indiana Jones film, the tensions ramp up towards an inevitable confrontation which had unexpected consequences and an ending which had me smiling so much my face hurt!
The Epilogue is wonderful, as this whole series has been, and I was very delighted to discover there will be more from this pairing.
#ARC kindly received from the authors in return for an honest and unbiased review
I've always been a fan of Thanatos, (the actual God of the Dead, not the Marvel villain 😁 ) and I've never been a believer of the bad rap that Hesiod gave him ...has a heart of iron, and his spirit within him is pitiless as bronze.
To me, he's more the ever dutiful representation of the spirit which takes us to our eternal rest, or to the Elysian Fields if you're a Greek Mythology fan, and not some hideous skeletal embodiment ready to scare us into our graves!
To pair him with the accidentally immortal Glaucus was a move of genius on the parts of Sam and Waverly because he's a capricious character, one who has no single origin myth but a number of different mixed tales all of which involve him losing his mortal state when he inadvertently ate a magic herb.
Here, he's a sort of piratical type, wandering the oceans and doing deeds for Gaia, the Earth Titaness, while wishing he'd not been so afraid of dying that he'd rejected his lover Thanatos after a number of years.
The slow rapprochement between the two is handled beautifully, as they're forced back into each other's orbit by the fall out of events in the previous two books. This does, however, work as a standalone but you'd be missing out on two cracking good paranormal romances.
With a secondary plot that wouldn't have been out of place in an Indiana Jones film, the tensions ramp up towards an inevitable confrontation which had unexpected consequences and an ending which had me smiling so much my face hurt!
The Epilogue is wonderful, as this whole series has been, and I was very delighted to discover there will be more from this pairing.
#ARC kindly received from the authors in return for an honest and unbiased review
August 11, 2019
Third (and sadly) last instalment of this excellent “Lords of the Underworld” series, fantasy MM romances with Greek Gods set in today's times. Add a second chance trope in this one. It’s a standalone, but I would advise to read the previous books (not a hardship, LOL).
Thanatos, God of Death and Lahr, a facetious “pirate-y” immortal, had been lovers, but that was a long time ago. The shenanigans of the Gods are going to reunite them in a quest of “Indian-Jones-esc / Pirate-of-The-Carribean-esque” proportions to recover Cronus’s scythe and save the earthly world.
What made this one a success for me? :
* The world building is very creative and once again, the liberties taken by the authors with Greek mythology were perfect. Thanatos, God of Merciful Death, was portrayed as a very endearing character and yes, as mentioned in the blurb, very gentle. And then, there is “Misericordia” : a boat as a matchmaker, this is worth experiencing, LOL !
* I love the sense of humor of these authors as well as the instilled touch of satyr of modern societies. Lahr’s aversion for smartphones and the proficiency of social medias by our Gods were a delight.
* And finally, the entertaining adventures of Thanatos and Lahr didn’t take over the romance between our MCS (argh…this sex scene and Lahr’s reaction when Thanatos kept from kissing him…so touching). These two deserved their second chance and Lahr’s grovelling was very moving. A tiny bit more of steam would have pleased me but the riveting saving of Lahr, the sweet HEA and Lahr’s hilarious jealous fit when the previous MCs made a small appearance more than made up for it:
For all fans of fantasy MM romances or simply if you’re looking for an entertaining MM romance: give this series a try and enjoy the ride.
ARC of “Patron of Mercy” was generously provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Thanatos, God of Death and Lahr, a facetious “pirate-y” immortal, had been lovers, but that was a long time ago. The shenanigans of the Gods are going to reunite them in a quest of “Indian-Jones-esc / Pirate-of-The-Carribean-esque” proportions to recover Cronus’s scythe and save the earthly world.
What made this one a success for me? :
* The world building is very creative and once again, the liberties taken by the authors with Greek mythology were perfect. Thanatos, God of Merciful Death, was portrayed as a very endearing character and yes, as mentioned in the blurb, very gentle. And then, there is “Misericordia” : a boat as a matchmaker, this is worth experiencing, LOL !
* I love the sense of humor of these authors as well as the instilled touch of satyr of modern societies. Lahr’s aversion for smartphones and the proficiency of social medias by our Gods were a delight.
* And finally, the entertaining adventures of Thanatos and Lahr didn’t take over the romance between our MCS (argh…this sex scene and Lahr’s reaction when Thanatos kept from kissing him…so touching). These two deserved their second chance and Lahr’s grovelling was very moving. A tiny bit more of steam would have pleased me but the riveting saving of Lahr, the sweet HEA and Lahr’s hilarious jealous fit when the previous MCs made a small appearance more than made up for it:
"Prometheus smiled handsomely with his fucking handsome face and his well-trimmed beard and his ridiculous kind eyes and seriously, fuck that guy."
For all fans of fantasy MM romances or simply if you’re looking for an entertaining MM romance: give this series a try and enjoy the ride.
ARC of “Patron of Mercy” was generously provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2024
My favourite out of these. I adored "Patron of Mercy" so much!
This third installment is the perfect mix of romance and plot: I was hooked from the very first page. Thanatos and Lach's story is an achingly soft second chance romance, one fraught with past hurts, disappointments and broken hearts: I've come to adore this kind of trope, because it delivers a special kind of angst, and I adored how Sam Burns and W.M. Fawkes managed to portray it here. The chemistry between them was palpable from the very first page, despite the betrayals and hurt Lach has caused Thanatos in their millennia-old romance: their dynamic was absolutely fantastic and fascinating, especially in regards to the power imbalance between them and how they handled it, and I adored seeing Lach redeem himself and finally be deserving of the loyalty and love sweet, gentle Thanatos seems to give out so freely. If there's a thing I adore, it's a good redemption arc.
I adored both leads: Lach was a complex mess of an immortal pirate, both confident and self-loathing, and Thanatos was such a lovely, wonderful soul, so gentle and kind, despite him being the embodiment of Death. I loved seeing a bit more of Hermes (I'm SO EXCITED to jump into the next series about the sons of Zeus!), and I loved the plot; I thought that underlying hint of a subplot was going to be resolved (or reveal itself) here, but no. Now I'm even more excited to read the rest of the books about this fabulous world of meddling, disastrous gods and goddesses, myths and magic.
I received an ARC of the "Lords of the Underworld" box set in exchange for an honest review.
This third installment is the perfect mix of romance and plot: I was hooked from the very first page. Thanatos and Lach's story is an achingly soft second chance romance, one fraught with past hurts, disappointments and broken hearts: I've come to adore this kind of trope, because it delivers a special kind of angst, and I adored how Sam Burns and W.M. Fawkes managed to portray it here. The chemistry between them was palpable from the very first page, despite the betrayals and hurt Lach has caused Thanatos in their millennia-old romance: their dynamic was absolutely fantastic and fascinating, especially in regards to the power imbalance between them and how they handled it, and I adored seeing Lach redeem himself and finally be deserving of the loyalty and love sweet, gentle Thanatos seems to give out so freely. If there's a thing I adore, it's a good redemption arc.
I adored both leads: Lach was a complex mess of an immortal pirate, both confident and self-loathing, and Thanatos was such a lovely, wonderful soul, so gentle and kind, despite him being the embodiment of Death. I loved seeing a bit more of Hermes (I'm SO EXCITED to jump into the next series about the sons of Zeus!), and I loved the plot; I thought that underlying hint of a subplot was going to be resolved (or reveal itself) here, but no. Now I'm even more excited to read the rest of the books about this fabulous world of meddling, disastrous gods and goddesses, myths and magic.
I received an ARC of the "Lords of the Underworld" box set in exchange for an honest review.
July 18, 2019
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.5 stars
Patron of Mercy is the third book in the Lords of the Underworld series. The series has some really clever world building and a light tone that makes for fun stories. In this series, the gods and goddesses of Greek mythology live in many ways like humans, and while they have incredible power, they also are mundane in really fun ways (one goddess is an Instagram junkie, for example). The world building has been my favorite part of the series since the start and that continues here. I love the way the authors take the mythological legends and build the characters and their experiences into our world. In this case, in addition to Thanatos being a god, Lach is an immortal human, so he has lived since ancient times and is very familiar with the world of the gods. My favorite part of this story is Lach’s magical boat, who has the ability to give her owner whatever they need — note, not what they want, but what they need. It often ends up not being the same thing, to entertaining results.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
3.5 stars
Patron of Mercy is the third book in the Lords of the Underworld series. The series has some really clever world building and a light tone that makes for fun stories. In this series, the gods and goddesses of Greek mythology live in many ways like humans, and while they have incredible power, they also are mundane in really fun ways (one goddess is an Instagram junkie, for example). The world building has been my favorite part of the series since the start and that continues here. I love the way the authors take the mythological legends and build the characters and their experiences into our world. In this case, in addition to Thanatos being a god, Lach is an immortal human, so he has lived since ancient times and is very familiar with the world of the gods. My favorite part of this story is Lach’s magical boat, who has the ability to give her owner whatever they need — note, not what they want, but what they need. It often ends up not being the same thing, to entertaining results.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
August 18, 2019
Languished too long in my library!
What was I thinking?!?! I let this gem sit so long in my library without reading it! I’m upset with myself 🤬
I keep forgetting how incredibly awesome this series is. The blurbs are unassuming and sometimes downright...dare I say it? Boring... (sorry 🙊) so I keep putting them off but truly, this series is awesome!
Fascinatingly complexed characters, interesting backstories and of course, most of them are gods! The authors also blend Ancient Greek mythology and modern contemporary era really well. I love how they’ve sort of recreated the Greek pantheon with modern skills and such 🤩
It’s a little sad to realise this is the last book of this series though. But fear not! There’s a spin off series coming soon! 🥳
What was I thinking?!?! I let this gem sit so long in my library without reading it! I’m upset with myself 🤬
I keep forgetting how incredibly awesome this series is. The blurbs are unassuming and sometimes downright...dare I say it? Boring... (sorry 🙊) so I keep putting them off but truly, this series is awesome!
Fascinatingly complexed characters, interesting backstories and of course, most of them are gods! The authors also blend Ancient Greek mythology and modern contemporary era really well. I love how they’ve sort of recreated the Greek pantheon with modern skills and such 🤩
It’s a little sad to realise this is the last book of this series though. But fear not! There’s a spin off series coming soon! 🥳
August 15, 2019
**grm**
So much potential for this series and a lot of it was wasted. I really couldn't feel the connection between Lach and Thanatos, at least not until the last pages. The fact that Lach left the God many centuries before (like 2000 years or more), and broke-up their relationship, didn't make me believe in their reunion and quick falling in love, again. I can't imagine that 2 immortal beings would stay all that time away if they were still in love, and none of them knew what the other was doing, if they were happy and well and with someone else. It seemed almost as if they separated and forgot about the other, and only now because we needed a 3rd book, the author told us that in the present day, they still missed each other and were in love.
The plot was simple and lacked any real mystery or strong secondary chars.
In the end I rated it 4 stars also if it was more near 3.5, as rating.
So much potential for this series and a lot of it was wasted. I really couldn't feel the connection between Lach and Thanatos, at least not until the last pages. The fact that Lach left the God many centuries before (like 2000 years or more), and broke-up their relationship, didn't make me believe in their reunion and quick falling in love, again. I can't imagine that 2 immortal beings would stay all that time away if they were still in love, and none of them knew what the other was doing, if they were happy and well and with someone else. It seemed almost as if they separated and forgot about the other, and only now because we needed a 3rd book, the author told us that in the present day, they still missed each other and were in love.
The plot was simple and lacked any real mystery or strong secondary chars.
In the end I rated it 4 stars also if it was more near 3.5, as rating.
September 27, 2019
That might be my favorite of the 3.
Can't wait for Hermes story!!!
Can't wait for Hermes story!!!
March 19, 2020
4.5 Stars
Awwww Lach was such fun. I liked his desperate pursuit of Thanatos even knowing how much he hurt the guy in the past. He had such a vulnerable side that really no one got to see. Thanatos was a big softie and you definitely didn't want to see him hurt again, but Lach really wants to make things up to him. Of course they need to save the world at the same time.
Yay for a sailing adventure! I loved all parts of this story. The Greek gods references are always fun and I love that pantheon. This has so much fun playing within the framework of that world. The world is starving, or at least going to be starving soon, as Demeter is refusing to do her job and Lach's been tasked by Gaia to save the world. For him, as much as he's down to save the world, it's also a chance to have an in with his ex and get back what he's lost.
Such fun and a quick enjoyable read.
Awwww Lach was such fun. I liked his desperate pursuit of Thanatos even knowing how much he hurt the guy in the past. He had such a vulnerable side that really no one got to see. Thanatos was a big softie and you definitely didn't want to see him hurt again, but Lach really wants to make things up to him. Of course they need to save the world at the same time.
Yay for a sailing adventure! I loved all parts of this story. The Greek gods references are always fun and I love that pantheon. This has so much fun playing within the framework of that world. The world is starving, or at least going to be starving soon, as Demeter is refusing to do her job and Lach's been tasked by Gaia to save the world. For him, as much as he's down to save the world, it's also a chance to have an in with his ex and get back what he's lost.
Such fun and a quick enjoyable read.
January 16, 2020
This book has been touch and go since December but I'm glad I finally finished it today!
Lach and my hun Thanatos were the perfect opposites attract/second chance couple. I loved reading about how Lach went through the motions to make up for his callousness in the past. It was definitely worth the read.
I enjoyed myself immensely as I do with books in this series of which this unfortunately is the last book(I think). But I wasn't too bummed because there is a planned trilogy spin-off coming back which I'm super excited for.
More Greek mythology with lovely twists? Sign me up!
Lach and my hun Thanatos were the perfect opposites attract/second chance couple. I loved reading about how Lach went through the motions to make up for his callousness in the past. It was definitely worth the read.
I enjoyed myself immensely as I do with books in this series of which this unfortunately is the last book(I think). But I wasn't too bummed because there is a planned trilogy spin-off coming back which I'm super excited for.
More Greek mythology with lovely twists? Sign me up!
July 18, 2019
4.5*
This series got better and better with every book and every God.
I love the creative liberty these authors used for their characters. They really seem believable and the Gods relatable (and mostly likable *side eyes Zues*)
Now, I am not sure if it was due to the 6 planets in retrograde plus the lunar eclipse and stag full moon or if this book is in fact, sad, but I found myself in tears...A LOT.. for about the first half of this book. Thanatos is an incredible character. When you think of Death, you're not expecting him to be kind and patient. It makes sense though when you think of the Merciful God of Death. He was perfect in every way, and I absolutely fell in love with him.
Trash Pirates. What? Sold! because that sounds awesome. Like Hebe says, Pirates are still in :p
Lach is an immortal human. His story is pretty interesting and so is his boat.
He spends a lot of this story trying to prove to Thanatos he's changed, but trying to do it without coming on "too strong". I think that's where a lot of the sadness comes in. He just seems so defeated most of the time. He's also another character you can't help but fall in love with.
These ladies really did a great job, I am super impressed. I also can't wait to move on to the Sons of Olympus series. I need more Hermes <3
#MMRomance #OhMyGods #SweetDeath #TrashPirate #MagicBoat
This series got better and better with every book and every God.
I love the creative liberty these authors used for their characters. They really seem believable and the Gods relatable (and mostly likable *side eyes Zues*)
Now, I am not sure if it was due to the 6 planets in retrograde plus the lunar eclipse and stag full moon or if this book is in fact, sad, but I found myself in tears...A LOT.. for about the first half of this book. Thanatos is an incredible character. When you think of Death, you're not expecting him to be kind and patient. It makes sense though when you think of the Merciful God of Death. He was perfect in every way, and I absolutely fell in love with him.
Trash Pirates. What? Sold! because that sounds awesome. Like Hebe says, Pirates are still in :p
Lach is an immortal human. His story is pretty interesting and so is his boat.
He spends a lot of this story trying to prove to Thanatos he's changed, but trying to do it without coming on "too strong". I think that's where a lot of the sadness comes in. He just seems so defeated most of the time. He's also another character you can't help but fall in love with.
These ladies really did a great job, I am super impressed. I also can't wait to move on to the Sons of Olympus series. I need more Hermes <3
#MMRomance #OhMyGods #SweetDeath #TrashPirate #MagicBoat
January 26, 2020
This series is a sweet look at Greek Mythology.
Yes it the authors take some liberties & do make mention of it in the afterward. But what I enjoy so far is they are not making excuses for the selfishness the myths portray.
Thanatos is the god of merciful death. Why would we think of him as scary? Yes, we humans don’t want our lives to end but sometimes death can be merciful. I’ve witnessed that myself.
There isn’t much angst, action or any mystery but the series is sweet, charming and Ive grown to like the gods.
Yes it the authors take some liberties & do make mention of it in the afterward. But what I enjoy so far is they are not making excuses for the selfishness the myths portray.
Thanatos is the god of merciful death. Why would we think of him as scary? Yes, we humans don’t want our lives to end but sometimes death can be merciful. I’ve witnessed that myself.
There isn’t much angst, action or any mystery but the series is sweet, charming and Ive grown to like the gods.
March 19, 2022
Fun series
'Patron of Mercy' took me a bit to get into. Personally, I'm not a fan of second chance romances, which PoM very much falls under, with a dash of miscommunication, which always drives me insane, but we eventually get through everything and there's a happy ending at the end. Don't know if this is the end of the series, but there're some plot threads that could lead to some more stories in the series, so I'm not sure whether this will be the last book or not, but I wouldn't mind a few more....For example, I was really hoping for Charon's story.
Dual POV, second chance romance, with some heat, and a happy ending.
'Patron of Mercy' took me a bit to get into. Personally, I'm not a fan of second chance romances, which PoM very much falls under, with a dash of miscommunication, which always drives me insane, but we eventually get through everything and there's a happy ending at the end. Don't know if this is the end of the series, but there're some plot threads that could lead to some more stories in the series, so I'm not sure whether this will be the last book or not, but I wouldn't mind a few more....For example, I was really hoping for Charon's story.
Dual POV, second chance romance, with some heat, and a happy ending.
July 25, 2019
I'm so in love with this series. I have always loved everything about Greece and Greek gods and the history of it all. I wish to travel there one day. It's an absolute dream. I love to see people's interpretations of the gods and how they make them turn out and I love how this has turned. It's very accurate with how a lot of the gods are written as so I was happy to see that it was quite accurate.
This is one of those stories though, that kind of breaks your heart. Thanatos, the god of death, has a lonely life. He has his brother, whom he's fairly close too, but who wants anything to do with death. Then he thought he found someone who did. He goes by Lach now. But then he was a different man. Greedy, selfish, and completely hurting Thanatos in a way he never really came back from. And while I understood Thanatos's pain, I also got how Lach felt. He was suddenly immortal, and though he had been with Thanatos for a bit, he was still terrified. He said hurtful things to him in order to hurt him to make it easier for him to leave. And then spent millennia regretting it. Now Lach needs his help, and he's prepared for the fact that Thanatos will want nothing to do with him and that wrath will rain down on his head. As much as Thanatos wants to, he can't deny he still loves Lach. But he is very leery of him and doesn't trust him. He agrees to the trip Lach needs to save the world, but after that, he just wants to go away from him. But the more time they spend together, the more the old feelings come back. And many new ones. Lach has really changed. But by the time they get back on even footing and start over again, Lach is kidnapped by cultists who want to sacrifice him. And Thanatos may not make it in time to save him.
I got tickled in one part of this book about a bobble headed reaper appearing in Lach's boat. Everyone thinks the reaper/god of death as soon and home, holding a scythe, and wearing a hooded cape. So far from the truth. But it was funny. And for Thanatos, he needed a laugh. His job as a god is not an easy one. Constant death, in and out, day after day. And no one wants anything to do with him because of it. They fear him. When in reality, he's a big teddy bear. He just has a job to do. And most of the time, it's peaceful. Or he tries to make it that way. Because of that I wanted to smack Lach. Thanatos's heart is so fragile and because of fears, Lach trampled all over it.
Like I said, I get why. The reality of immortality and yet still human is daunting, scary. The changes that were happening in his life. He felt he needed to run and be free. He just didn't think it through. Loneliness ate at him daily, and guilt for what he's done. It's a tough situation.
But oh what a book. I love the history in this book as well. The places they travelled to. The history behind the places. It just made my day. I'm glad I got a chance to read these. You should too.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/
This is one of those stories though, that kind of breaks your heart. Thanatos, the god of death, has a lonely life. He has his brother, whom he's fairly close too, but who wants anything to do with death. Then he thought he found someone who did. He goes by Lach now. But then he was a different man. Greedy, selfish, and completely hurting Thanatos in a way he never really came back from. And while I understood Thanatos's pain, I also got how Lach felt. He was suddenly immortal, and though he had been with Thanatos for a bit, he was still terrified. He said hurtful things to him in order to hurt him to make it easier for him to leave. And then spent millennia regretting it. Now Lach needs his help, and he's prepared for the fact that Thanatos will want nothing to do with him and that wrath will rain down on his head. As much as Thanatos wants to, he can't deny he still loves Lach. But he is very leery of him and doesn't trust him. He agrees to the trip Lach needs to save the world, but after that, he just wants to go away from him. But the more time they spend together, the more the old feelings come back. And many new ones. Lach has really changed. But by the time they get back on even footing and start over again, Lach is kidnapped by cultists who want to sacrifice him. And Thanatos may not make it in time to save him.
I got tickled in one part of this book about a bobble headed reaper appearing in Lach's boat. Everyone thinks the reaper/god of death as soon and home, holding a scythe, and wearing a hooded cape. So far from the truth. But it was funny. And for Thanatos, he needed a laugh. His job as a god is not an easy one. Constant death, in and out, day after day. And no one wants anything to do with him because of it. They fear him. When in reality, he's a big teddy bear. He just has a job to do. And most of the time, it's peaceful. Or he tries to make it that way. Because of that I wanted to smack Lach. Thanatos's heart is so fragile and because of fears, Lach trampled all over it.
Like I said, I get why. The reality of immortality and yet still human is daunting, scary. The changes that were happening in his life. He felt he needed to run and be free. He just didn't think it through. Loneliness ate at him daily, and guilt for what he's done. It's a tough situation.
But oh what a book. I love the history in this book as well. The places they travelled to. The history behind the places. It just made my day. I'm glad I got a chance to read these. You should too.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/
December 30, 2019
✮4 Stars✮
March 2, 2020
I really enjoyed the first two books in this series, but this third one didn't quite live up to them and turned out to be my least favourite of the three. The romance just didn't work all that well for - Lach was just too annoying a character - and the plot, while moderately entertaining, never managed to properly hook me.
July 10, 2019
Lach and Thanatos have a history. Not a happy one either. Lovers millennia ago, Lach broke the God of Deaths heart when he told him they didn’t work and snuck away like a thief in the night that he was.
Lach needs Thanatos to save the world from starvation. Thanatos reluctantly agrees. But that’s all, just the help, no romance. Little did the god know it was a loosing battle. Lach is just to. compelling to ignore and he might just be a good guy this time around. As they rekindle their love, both have doubts based on their pasts.
This story was as engrossing as the other books in the series. Greek gods tend to be difficult, especially when dealing with humans and other gods.
The foibles of the various gods was interesting. Some petty and some totally giving. I’m also in love with a sentient boat who know the men belong together. Nice story, well done.
Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads.
Lach needs Thanatos to save the world from starvation. Thanatos reluctantly agrees. But that’s all, just the help, no romance. Little did the god know it was a loosing battle. Lach is just to. compelling to ignore and he might just be a good guy this time around. As they rekindle their love, both have doubts based on their pasts.
This story was as engrossing as the other books in the series. Greek gods tend to be difficult, especially when dealing with humans and other gods.
The foibles of the various gods was interesting. Some petty and some totally giving. I’m also in love with a sentient boat who know the men belong together. Nice story, well done.
Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads.
July 27, 2019
I love this series. Borrowing from myths and legends and making it work in the 21st century is effortless here.
This is a fun story with a solid and believable second chance romance, despite said romance being thousands of years in the making and between a titan and an immortal human.
They fit together so beautifully, this snarky, light fingered immortal and the ever gentle god of Death.
The adventure part jogged along nicely while we focused on the reconnection but flared into life at the end.
Come for the search of Cronas' scythe, stay for the epic romance.
I want Hermes story so bad now. The man has serious daddy issues.
This is a fun story with a solid and believable second chance romance, despite said romance being thousands of years in the making and between a titan and an immortal human.
They fit together so beautifully, this snarky, light fingered immortal and the ever gentle god of Death.
The adventure part jogged along nicely while we focused on the reconnection but flared into life at the end.
Come for the search of Cronas' scythe, stay for the epic romance.
I want Hermes story so bad now. The man has serious daddy issues.
August 5, 2019
First Hade’s son, then Prometheus and now it’s time for Thanatos to have his happy ending. It’s a toss up between the second and third book for favourite.
Location wise it was a bit restricted but I loved Mis and I’m pretty sure there wouldn’t have been any progress without her.
Lach is a lonely immortal regretting his biggest mistake. A chance to save the world from starvation gives him a second chance to be with the one he left broken hearted.
More along the lines of forgiveness and romance for this one. Nice to see the other couples again. I’m holding out for Hermes story because he deserves someone. Can’t wait for the next series. I knew we hadn’t seen the end of that guy.
Location wise it was a bit restricted but I loved Mis and I’m pretty sure there wouldn’t have been any progress without her.
Lach is a lonely immortal regretting his biggest mistake. A chance to save the world from starvation gives him a second chance to be with the one he left broken hearted.
More along the lines of forgiveness and romance for this one. Nice to see the other couples again. I’m holding out for Hermes story because he deserves someone. Can’t wait for the next series. I knew we hadn’t seen the end of that guy.
July 17, 2019
This was another fantastic addition the the Lords of the Underworld series. I absolutely loved Thanatos and Lach, they were such great characters and I enjoyed their second chance story immensely.
*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book*
*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book*
July 26, 2019
My fav of the series
July 27, 2019
I am in utter love with this series and this latest addition is no exception!
Kudos to both authors for an excellent book.
Kudos to both authors for an excellent book.
July 30, 2019
Not my favorite book in the series. Thanatos and Lach are an interesting match, if you like opposites attract stories.
Unfortunately , at times Lach felt like an over eager puppy.
Unfortunately , at times Lach felt like an over eager puppy.
September 15, 2020
Overall Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
I’ve been hooked on the Lords of the Underworld series ever since I read the first book Prince of Death. While this series involves many of the Greek Gods, it focuses in on the stories of those from the Underworld. In the first two books, we got Lysandros (the youngest son of Hades) and Prometheus (Titan god of forethought who just escaped imprisonment in Tartarus).
This third book, Patron of Mercy, focuses on Death himself, Thanatos, as the fates reunite him with his ex-lover, an unruly immortal trash pirate named Lach, after centuries spent apart.
While I did enjoy this book, I can't help feeling that it didn't live up to the first two in the series when it came to keeping me turning the pages. I also think I was less emotionally invested in the romance between the MCs this time around.
The Plot:
This book was a combination of two tropes, opposites attract and second-chance romance. Because this is a second chance romance and the two of them left on not-so-great terms, Lach spends a good ammount of time in the beginning trying to prove to Thanatos that he's not the same guy who broke his heart the first time they gave things a shot.
Lach has spent literally thousands of years regretting his past decisions and learning from his mistakes and when he finds himself needing to seek Thanatos out for the first time in centuries in order to save humanity from starvation, he decides that he has to take the opportunity to maybe get a chance to fix the biggest mistake he ever made.
Thoughts:
While I adored Lach and felt like we got to know him pretty well throughout this book, I couldn't help feeling that we didn't get to know Thanatos as well. I did, however, quite like the bits we did learn about him, such as him being the polar opposite of how everyone expects him to be. Despite being Death itself, Thanatos is kind and gentle and an overall good and peaceful God.
Other than our charming Lach, I think Hermes was my favorite part of this book. His friendship with both Lach and Thanatos leads to him having a pretty active part in this book. His humor has been entertaining me since Prince of Death and I always enjoy the moments where he pops in to add some humor or save the day. But the poor kid doesn't get praised enough for his hard work, especially by his dad Zeus.
I think this is the first time I've ever felt emotionally attached to a boat but Misericordia wasn't just any boat, she was a magical boat and the authors honestly gave her so much life. I found it heartwarming how she tried to push the two men together while they were aboard because her mission would always be to give her captain what he needed most and there was nothing Lach needed more in the world than Thanatos.
Will I be continuing this series?
From what I've gathered, this was the last book in the Lords of the Underworld series, but not the last book in this universe. Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes plan to continue this story with another series set in the same universe called Sons of Olypmpus.
This time around, we'll be following the wayward sons of Zeus, starting with Hermes who was heavily featured throughout the Lords of the Underworld series as a side character that I found myself growing rather attached to. I look forward to starting off this new series by finally getting to spend some more time with Hermes as well as his future lover, Wilder.
March 14, 2023
Flirting with death
Such a great story!
There's nothing quite like pushing away someone out of fear, and doing it when you're both immortal is a whole other level. Such is the issue we find for Lach and Thanatos. Lach was only just learning he was immortal when he broke up with Thanatos and burned all bridges, while Thanatos was already aware of the long life ahead as a god. In the millenia since Lach has made a life for himself, but it has been lonely and is only getting moreso. Meanwhile Thanatos never quite got over his heartbreak or the final words said by Lach.
Lach wants nothing more than to make up with Thanatos but doesn't know how to. A job comes up that threatens the entire world and also requires Thanatos's help, which Lach hopes will help rebuild their bridges and even rekindle their relationship. But it's hard to get past all the hurt between them even with all the time that has passed. Lach needs to see that he can be worthy of love, while Thanatos needs to believe that even death can find happiness.
For the first time there is more of a lead in to further potential story. The first two books were about individual relationships and lead a bit into each other. However now it feels that the hints of things coming are leading to more as big changes have come to the gods and prophecies are starting to work at coming true. This book seems to wrap up this particular arc but I look forward to what comes next in this current world of the gods!
Such a great story!
There's nothing quite like pushing away someone out of fear, and doing it when you're both immortal is a whole other level. Such is the issue we find for Lach and Thanatos. Lach was only just learning he was immortal when he broke up with Thanatos and burned all bridges, while Thanatos was already aware of the long life ahead as a god. In the millenia since Lach has made a life for himself, but it has been lonely and is only getting moreso. Meanwhile Thanatos never quite got over his heartbreak or the final words said by Lach.
Lach wants nothing more than to make up with Thanatos but doesn't know how to. A job comes up that threatens the entire world and also requires Thanatos's help, which Lach hopes will help rebuild their bridges and even rekindle their relationship. But it's hard to get past all the hurt between them even with all the time that has passed. Lach needs to see that he can be worthy of love, while Thanatos needs to believe that even death can find happiness.
For the first time there is more of a lead in to further potential story. The first two books were about individual relationships and lead a bit into each other. However now it feels that the hints of things coming are leading to more as big changes have come to the gods and prophecies are starting to work at coming true. This book seems to wrap up this particular arc but I look forward to what comes next in this current world of the gods!
March 14, 2021
3.5 stars rounding up
I struggled a bit with my rating because the story took its time to happen, so I was wavering between 3 stars because of the very slow start and 4 stars because Lach and Thanatos were breaking my heart again and again. So yeah let's go with 3.5 stars and rounding up.
Although the slow start could have been because the story was more of Lach's second chance with Thanatos than anything else. Still though I wasn't coming back to the story enthusiastically till Thanatos and Lach were on their way to Santorini. After that the story picked up and bled all over the place with Lach's insecurities, fears and feelings of inferiority and what he could really offer to a god and Thanatos's struggle to let Lach back in, be vulnerable to him and trusting him.
Loved how Sam and W.M. handled all the scythe business and it was a perfect ending to this series. Now to go on and start the Sons of Olympus!
I struggled a bit with my rating because the story took its time to happen, so I was wavering between 3 stars because of the very slow start and 4 stars because Lach and Thanatos were breaking my heart again and again. So yeah let's go with 3.5 stars and rounding up.
Although the slow start could have been because the story was more of Lach's second chance with Thanatos than anything else. Still though I wasn't coming back to the story enthusiastically till Thanatos and Lach were on their way to Santorini. After that the story picked up and bled all over the place with Lach's insecurities, fears and feelings of inferiority and what he could really offer to a god and Thanatos's struggle to let Lach back in, be vulnerable to him and trusting him.
Loved how Sam and W.M. handled all the scythe business and it was a perfect ending to this series. Now to go on and start the Sons of Olympus!
February 27, 2023
Thanatos gets an HEA
Will you love this book? It depends on how much you like sweet, forgiving gods who wouldn't hurt a fly. Even more, how much do you love charismatic pirates with a questionable relationship with the truth?
Lach doesn't deserve Thanatos's forgiveness. He blew him off, and left him for three thousand years, give or take. It doesn't make sense to me that he's been sailing around the world doing Gaia's bidding. Why Gaia is never explained. It's just necessary for the plot.
To make up for the weird match and oddly little relationship angst, there is a lot of sex and some fun banter. Lach's thoughts are also occasionally funny. The cult plot was far more interesting than the relationship, but we hear oddly little about it. Neither Lach nor Thanatos are interested in following up. Hermes's book is next, but the whole cult thing is mostly a catalyst in that book (I read it first), and no cultists are questioned or confronted.
Will you love this book? It depends on how much you like sweet, forgiving gods who wouldn't hurt a fly. Even more, how much do you love charismatic pirates with a questionable relationship with the truth?
Lach doesn't deserve Thanatos's forgiveness. He blew him off, and left him for three thousand years, give or take. It doesn't make sense to me that he's been sailing around the world doing Gaia's bidding. Why Gaia is never explained. It's just necessary for the plot.
To make up for the weird match and oddly little relationship angst, there is a lot of sex and some fun banter. Lach's thoughts are also occasionally funny. The cult plot was far more interesting than the relationship, but we hear oddly little about it. Neither Lach nor Thanatos are interested in following up. Hermes's book is next, but the whole cult thing is mostly a catalyst in that book (I read it first), and no cultists are questioned or confronted.
January 29, 2020
5 💖💖💖💖💖 Hearts Reviewed by Shorty for MM Good Book Reviews
After some time spent apart due to Lach. Thanatos and Lach team up to find Cronus' Scythe to save the world. I loved everything about this story from the way these two react to one another after seeing each other again to the character descriptions of each one. The quest was well written with plenty of antics and suspense.
I was tickled at Lach's jealousy. I was very glad the romance/sex did not overshadow the actual plot as is the case in a lot of books I've read. This was a very pleasing plot with a lot of good adventure and mayhem.
I adored the characters shenanigans as well as the tender moments. This book kept me on the edge of my seat as the story unfolded. Fantastic read.
Highly recommended.
After some time spent apart due to Lach. Thanatos and Lach team up to find Cronus' Scythe to save the world. I loved everything about this story from the way these two react to one another after seeing each other again to the character descriptions of each one. The quest was well written with plenty of antics and suspense.
I was tickled at Lach's jealousy. I was very glad the romance/sex did not overshadow the actual plot as is the case in a lot of books I've read. This was a very pleasing plot with a lot of good adventure and mayhem.
I adored the characters shenanigans as well as the tender moments. This book kept me on the edge of my seat as the story unfolded. Fantastic read.
Highly recommended.
November 4, 2021
Além de toda a aventura mitologia grega e etc esse è um romance de segunda chance. A parte de aventura foi ok. Uma nota 7.5 ou 8. A parte do romance foi 3/10. Achei q faltou groveling por parte do MC que vacilou no começo e o outro perdoou muito fácil. Esse tipo de coisa me irrita horrores. Depois eles caíram numa rotina muito de boa e n eh assim q funciona.
Também me incomodei que a “aventura” acabou em 80% e tive que ler 60 páginas de encerramento. Foi um episódio de encerramento de novela da globo em muitas e muitas palavras (boring).
Também diminui uma estrela pq esse foi o último livro de uma série que simplesmente não foi boa. Todos os livros ficaram entre 2.5 e 3.5 (no maximo) estrelas. Not impressive…. Já li livros de fantasia bem melhores
Também me incomodei que a “aventura” acabou em 80% e tive que ler 60 páginas de encerramento. Foi um episódio de encerramento de novela da globo em muitas e muitas palavras (boring).
Também diminui uma estrela pq esse foi o último livro de uma série que simplesmente não foi boa. Todos os livros ficaram entre 2.5 e 3.5 (no maximo) estrelas. Not impressive…. Já li livros de fantasia bem melhores
April 21, 2023
I'm giving this one 4* for now as I enjoyed Thanatos and Lach's story the most of this series. I felt more for the MC's than I did for any of the others, even Prometheus, who really had it rough. Still Lach was an ass at times and you couldn't believe what came out of his mouth but somehow that made it not so perfect. It would have been so weird if he had said and done all the right things and if he didn't stumble over his own mouth a few times. I am far from someone who is looking for angst in books and so I'm glad the moments were resolved swiftly, but I'm still glad they were there, otherwise it wouldn't have suited Lach's character, and when in doubt I'm glad the authors stuck with his personality rather that mold him into someone he wasn't.
August 16, 2024
Precious bb Thanatos🥺
I still think he could’ve done better, but Lach proved himself in the end.
The overarching story isn’t quite finished yet, but this was an excellent end to this series and a great start to the spin-off. I enjoyed how things played out and am excited—but sad because I want to read a hundred interesting stories in this universe—to get to the end to see that, too.
I don’t know why I’m so in love with this series, but if I had to guess, I’d say it’s my intense love of the characters. All of them are just really friggin’ interesting. Damaged, odd little sweeties that they are.
4/5. I really could just keep reading these indefinitely, but alas, there are only so many.
I still think he could’ve done better, but Lach proved himself in the end.
The overarching story isn’t quite finished yet, but this was an excellent end to this series and a great start to the spin-off. I enjoyed how things played out and am excited—but sad because I want to read a hundred interesting stories in this universe—to get to the end to see that, too.
I don’t know why I’m so in love with this series, but if I had to guess, I’d say it’s my intense love of the characters. All of them are just really friggin’ interesting. Damaged, odd little sweeties that they are.
4/5. I really could just keep reading these indefinitely, but alas, there are only so many.
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