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The Path of Temptation #6
The Gods We Obey
As priests, we are meant to obey - but our duties are to our gods, not mere men.
Zeal is back, and he's seen by more people every day. The God of Temptation grows stronger, but High Priest Kinen has found the one thing that can stop a god: disbelief. The return of our gods means an end to his power.
And Kinen isn't ready to lose.
Over time, the priests of our temple have surrendered their power in the name of our god. We're trained to obey, to help, and to be Zeal's tools when he cannot help himself - and now that has become a problem.
Because power is given, never taken, and we have surrendered far too much. It's time for things to change, before our complacency destroys our gods. And yet, habits are such hard things to break.
What we need is a rebellion - and I'm going to start it.
Our gods never expected blind obedience, so it's time to give into the temptation to fight back. But will the price for this be more than I can pay? I just can't believe this is what my path was meant for - or is this all just a game between gods and men? Because we, the Priests of Temptation, have been betrayed.
I have prayed.
I have obeyed.
Now I'm doing it my way.
Possible Triggers: Discussions of rape and assault, domestic violence, bullying, harassment, consensual pain and battery, shaming, sexual sadism, minor violence, and more adult themes.
The Path of Temptation series features a strong woman and the men who love her. Graphic language, adult situations, and potentially triggering violence that are suitable for a mature audience are included.
This is a love story, but sometimes love comes with a price.
Zeal is back, and he's seen by more people every day. The God of Temptation grows stronger, but High Priest Kinen has found the one thing that can stop a god: disbelief. The return of our gods means an end to his power.
And Kinen isn't ready to lose.
Over time, the priests of our temple have surrendered their power in the name of our god. We're trained to obey, to help, and to be Zeal's tools when he cannot help himself - and now that has become a problem.
Because power is given, never taken, and we have surrendered far too much. It's time for things to change, before our complacency destroys our gods. And yet, habits are such hard things to break.
What we need is a rebellion - and I'm going to start it.
Our gods never expected blind obedience, so it's time to give into the temptation to fight back. But will the price for this be more than I can pay? I just can't believe this is what my path was meant for - or is this all just a game between gods and men? Because we, the Priests of Temptation, have been betrayed.
I have prayed.
I have obeyed.
Now I'm doing it my way.
Possible Triggers: Discussions of rape and assault, domestic violence, bullying, harassment, consensual pain and battery, shaming, sexual sadism, minor violence, and more adult themes.
The Path of Temptation series features a strong woman and the men who love her. Graphic language, adult situations, and potentially triggering violence that are suitable for a mature audience are included.
This is a love story, but sometimes love comes with a price.
685 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 29, 2022
140 people are currently reading
292 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews
December 27, 2022
This entire series was disappointing and that sucks because the concept was great. Nari was a mary sue that actually does nothing other than being not like other girls, despite six books telling me every two seconds how she is "special" or she is the "chosen one", she was utterly useless? Like we are told that she is special because she is convincing people that God exists which was limited to her telling everyone "hey they are real" which is nothing? I think the Gods taking a lipstick and writing on the ceilings would've been way more effective considering they can move objects which itself is a whole other problem because what even is the power of the gods? They move objects, make magic tattoos and manipulate "emotions" but none of that is Godly, it made no sense why them existing even mattered. And why can't they just write letters??
The love interests were okay though it still makes no sense why Zeal even likes Nari and The antagonists were boring, bland and it didn't even make sense why they were such a problem. The writing was not good either, it dragged on and on and by book six characters were still discussing or whining about something they discussed in book one. The same dialogue repeated like 20 times because we just HAD to read the event happen then 10 people talk about it in separate scenes. I swear to god if I had to read the "five heads of a snake" one more time, I'd consider jumping into an actual snake pit.
The ending was meh at best and makes it clear that this series could've been a stand alone. I don't even like writing reviews, but I had to get this out of my system because this was a waste.
The love interests were okay though it still makes no sense why Zeal even likes Nari and The antagonists were boring, bland and it didn't even make sense why they were such a problem. The writing was not good either, it dragged on and on and by book six characters were still discussing or whining about something they discussed in book one. The same dialogue repeated like 20 times because we just HAD to read the event happen then 10 people talk about it in separate scenes. I swear to god if I had to read the "five heads of a snake" one more time, I'd consider jumping into an actual snake pit.
The ending was meh at best and makes it clear that this series could've been a stand alone. I don't even like writing reviews, but I had to get this out of my system because this was a waste.
November 12, 2022
This was a great finale to probably my favorite series in a long time.
It had my pulse racing and anxiety spiking here and there, but at the same time it also kept its charm of every day life situations and found family.
I love that even though I had made a lot of speculations about how things were going to end, I still couldn't predict what exactly was going to happen even up until the last minute.
I'm pretty sure these MCs will be my favorite group of MCs for a long time and especially Anver and Wraythe will always have a special place in my heart as best book MMCs out there.
A lot of the small subplots got wrapped up into happy for now endings, but I am excited to see Auryn pick up this crew of MCs again in the future for a sequel series.
It had my pulse racing and anxiety spiking here and there, but at the same time it also kept its charm of every day life situations and found family.
I love that even though I had made a lot of speculations about how things were going to end, I still couldn't predict what exactly was going to happen even up until the last minute.
I'm pretty sure these MCs will be my favorite group of MCs for a long time and especially Anver and Wraythe will always have a special place in my heart as best book MMCs out there.
A lot of the small subplots got wrapped up into happy for now endings, but I am excited to see Auryn pick up this crew of MCs again in the future for a sequel series.
May 2, 2022
Good series
This series was very good. My only complaint is that sometimes the series was repetitive and wordy but honestly not something that deterred from the story. The smexy scenes were well written and intentive. I love this authors view on free love and all aspects of a poly relationship. I also love the support for LQBTA+ . The a
sexual aspect in this series was done fabulously. Also Auryn tackled grief with a unique approach that was appropriate and not many authors can grasp the complexity of that. KUDOS AURYN job well done.
This series was very good. My only complaint is that sometimes the series was repetitive and wordy but honestly not something that deterred from the story. The smexy scenes were well written and intentive. I love this authors view on free love and all aspects of a poly relationship. I also love the support for LQBTA+ . The a
sexual aspect in this series was done fabulously. Also Auryn tackled grief with a unique approach that was appropriate and not many authors can grasp the complexity of that. KUDOS AURYN job well done.
May 4, 2022
Ok
I was attached to the characters and story in books 1-4. Book 5 made it a mess and. Book 6 was forced to fix the mess it made. The finale seemed disconnected and wordy. The beautiful story I started reading got lost trying to add more books and profit. It ended up very political and for me the involvement in the characters and falling into a beautiful story with God's got lost into forcing myself to read so I could have an ending. It fell flat and disconnected to me from where it started.
I was attached to the characters and story in books 1-4. Book 5 made it a mess and. Book 6 was forced to fix the mess it made. The finale seemed disconnected and wordy. The beautiful story I started reading got lost trying to add more books and profit. It ended up very political and for me the involvement in the characters and falling into a beautiful story with God's got lost into forcing myself to read so I could have an ending. It fell flat and disconnected to me from where it started.
July 22, 2022
Time To Rebel
This is the sixth book in a complete series. You need to have read the preceding books to understand this one. There is no cliffhanger, however the author states that she intends to write another series set in this world, but there is no publication date.
I’ve put off reading this book for months because I simply didn’t want to finish this wonderful series. I have come to love all the characters from Zeal down to Drandir and I didn’t want to say goodbye. Now I’ve finally read this last book in the series I can say I wish I’d done it sooner because it was the perfect ending. I had no clue at the start of the book how we’d get to the HEAs but I had faith in Auryn’s plot constructing skills. That faith was not misplaced.
A lot happens in this book. Nari and her partners have a lot to accomplish alongside finishing their initiate training, the main thing being saving all the gods from disappearing by having people believe in them again. Making friends in the other temples definitely helps but High Priest Kinen is not going to roll over and risk having his kingdoms taken away from him.
This book is filled with politics, faith and passion (oh so much passion!!) but the mental and emotional struggles of the individual characters are still handled with care and attention to detail. The confusing blend of often opposing emotions are detailed with captivating empathy when we offered insights in to the hearts and minds of Zeal’s Priests and Priestesses of Temptation. In particular I love the way Anver grows and changes in the final book of the series. It’s been a long slow process but he has become a force to reckoned with and the way his asexuality is treated is with honesty and compassion.
As with all Auryn’s books as soon as I finished it, I wanted to read it again. I’m pretty sure this series will will make it into my re-read many times because there is always something new to appreciate list. I’ll always adore Rise of the Iliri by this author but this series is has definitely wormed it’s way into an equal favourite.
This is the sixth book in a complete series. You need to have read the preceding books to understand this one. There is no cliffhanger, however the author states that she intends to write another series set in this world, but there is no publication date.
I’ve put off reading this book for months because I simply didn’t want to finish this wonderful series. I have come to love all the characters from Zeal down to Drandir and I didn’t want to say goodbye. Now I’ve finally read this last book in the series I can say I wish I’d done it sooner because it was the perfect ending. I had no clue at the start of the book how we’d get to the HEAs but I had faith in Auryn’s plot constructing skills. That faith was not misplaced.
A lot happens in this book. Nari and her partners have a lot to accomplish alongside finishing their initiate training, the main thing being saving all the gods from disappearing by having people believe in them again. Making friends in the other temples definitely helps but High Priest Kinen is not going to roll over and risk having his kingdoms taken away from him.
This book is filled with politics, faith and passion (oh so much passion!!) but the mental and emotional struggles of the individual characters are still handled with care and attention to detail. The confusing blend of often opposing emotions are detailed with captivating empathy when we offered insights in to the hearts and minds of Zeal’s Priests and Priestesses of Temptation. In particular I love the way Anver grows and changes in the final book of the series. It’s been a long slow process but he has become a force to reckoned with and the way his asexuality is treated is with honesty and compassion.
As with all Auryn’s books as soon as I finished it, I wanted to read it again. I’m pretty sure this series will will make it into my re-read many times because there is always something new to appreciate list. I’ll always adore Rise of the Iliri by this author but this series is has definitely wormed it’s way into an equal favourite.
May 5, 2022
The first book was the best one, the others were just reharsh for 6 books, and the ending fell flat.
April 30, 2022
5:26 am
I have not slept yet. I had to finish this book. Will I regret the sleepless night later. Probably. Will I regret reading this book and series, never. I absolutely loved this book and series. I normally love anything Auryn writes to be honest and have devoured many of her series. And I thought that Rise of the Illri and The dark Orchid were unbeatable when it comes to Auryn and nothing could budge them but this is definitely trying. This will be in my top 3 of their series. I’m too sleep deprived to figure out which I like best. I guess I’ll just have to reread after a long nap hahaha.
I have not slept yet. I had to finish this book. Will I regret the sleepless night later. Probably. Will I regret reading this book and series, never. I absolutely loved this book and series. I normally love anything Auryn writes to be honest and have devoured many of her series. And I thought that Rise of the Illri and The dark Orchid were unbeatable when it comes to Auryn and nothing could budge them but this is definitely trying. This will be in my top 3 of their series. I’m too sleep deprived to figure out which I like best. I guess I’ll just have to reread after a long nap hahaha.
May 1, 2022
It’s a good series just repetitive
I understand the dialogues are important for world building but it can be draining for a reader to see the same information over and over again in every chapter. I believe it takes away from the dramatic scenes and I found myself skipping some sections due to density and repetitiveness. Otherwise it was a good series and I enjoyed the characters growth.
I understand the dialogues are important for world building but it can be draining for a reader to see the same information over and over again in every chapter. I believe it takes away from the dramatic scenes and I found myself skipping some sections due to density and repetitiveness. Otherwise it was a good series and I enjoyed the characters growth.
August 7, 2022
this whole sentence structure? it’s honestly distracting.
⚫️⚫️⚫️
i did genuinely love parts of this series from start to finish. the author’s worldbuilding skills are incredible, especially compared to the RH genre at large. the characters (mostly) shine. there’s sacrilege and scandal. the smut is nice and steamy, the romance is sweet and errs *just* on this side of cheesy.
i’ve read all but one series from this author, and she excels in areas that are glossed over by many others. i wanted to give this five stars. i couldn’t.
⚫️⚫️⚫️
the constant over-explanation (as mentioned in other reviews) is exhausting, but my biggest gripe is the constant. repetitive. prose. every writer has a voice, those trademark words or phrases that set them apart from other writers.
auryn hadley’s is distinct.
every single character has it.
despite the fact that each character has their own personality traits, flaws, history, interests…literally all of them narrate their thoughts in the same exact way.
two-sentence thoughts like this, that start with a question mark and end with a period? i highlighted more than 300 of them throughout this entire series. half the time they’re *completely* unnecessary and could be eliminated with just a tiny bit of tweaking.
(example: “"This? It was because of .” — why not just say “This was because of .” ?!?!!!?!)
also the word “honestly” appears about 26x more often than necessary.
it detracts from the otherwise lovely, intriguing, red-hot plot so much that i’m pulled from the world hadley so wonderfully & thoughtfully created. it’s predictable and once you notice it there’s no going back.
i wanted so badly to love everything about this series but it felt like running a marathon to get through. i truly hope that future works have some sort of distinguishing narration between the bevy of characters. 💓
⚫️⚫️⚫️
i did genuinely love parts of this series from start to finish. the author’s worldbuilding skills are incredible, especially compared to the RH genre at large. the characters (mostly) shine. there’s sacrilege and scandal. the smut is nice and steamy, the romance is sweet and errs *just* on this side of cheesy.
i’ve read all but one series from this author, and she excels in areas that are glossed over by many others. i wanted to give this five stars. i couldn’t.
⚫️⚫️⚫️
the constant over-explanation (as mentioned in other reviews) is exhausting, but my biggest gripe is the constant. repetitive. prose. every writer has a voice, those trademark words or phrases that set them apart from other writers.
auryn hadley’s is distinct.
every single character has it.
despite the fact that each character has their own personality traits, flaws, history, interests…literally all of them narrate their thoughts in the same exact way.
two-sentence thoughts like this, that start with a question mark and end with a period? i highlighted more than 300 of them throughout this entire series. half the time they’re *completely* unnecessary and could be eliminated with just a tiny bit of tweaking.
(example: “"This? It was because of .” — why not just say “This was because of .” ?!?!!!?!)
also the word “honestly” appears about 26x more often than necessary.
it detracts from the otherwise lovely, intriguing, red-hot plot so much that i’m pulled from the world hadley so wonderfully & thoughtfully created. it’s predictable and once you notice it there’s no going back.
i wanted so badly to love everything about this series but it felt like running a marathon to get through. i truly hope that future works have some sort of distinguishing narration between the bevy of characters. 💓
June 6, 2023
3.75-ish⭐️’s
As per my previous review : WAY too much repetitive inner/outer dialogue.
The only reason I rated it higher than I would have normally is because at this point, and DAYS of investment, I was emotionally tied to the characters… I NEEDED to know what happened. And the first few books reeled me in to where I was hooked into the plot.
That said, I can’t lie: this last book I legitimately had to skip good chunks if not whole chapters. Even the sexy times became repetitive… and when facing the last book (13+ hours via Audible) and realizing how many hours I spent on the previous books, I was losing my patience and wanted to find out what happened. And as per the last book, the task was repetitive and somewhat daunting at times.
Obviously, if this book or series was bad, I’d rate it as such. I feel like if the “fluff” and unnecessary rambling for legitimately no reason were cut out from this book and the last, it would have tied up the series perfectly.
Unfortunately that didn’t happen and I was losing my patience. I really don’t like that feeling, especially when I was so invested previously.
It was the equivalent of eating only candy for a week straight: it’s tasty and exciting in the beginning… then you grow tired of it… then you grow resentful enough to just want to throw everything away and not eat it at all.
As per my previous review : WAY too much repetitive inner/outer dialogue.
The only reason I rated it higher than I would have normally is because at this point, and DAYS of investment, I was emotionally tied to the characters… I NEEDED to know what happened. And the first few books reeled me in to where I was hooked into the plot.
That said, I can’t lie: this last book I legitimately had to skip good chunks if not whole chapters. Even the sexy times became repetitive… and when facing the last book (13+ hours via Audible) and realizing how many hours I spent on the previous books, I was losing my patience and wanted to find out what happened. And as per the last book, the task was repetitive and somewhat daunting at times.
Obviously, if this book or series was bad, I’d rate it as such. I feel like if the “fluff” and unnecessary rambling for legitimately no reason were cut out from this book and the last, it would have tied up the series perfectly.
Unfortunately that didn’t happen and I was losing my patience. I really don’t like that feeling, especially when I was so invested previously.
It was the equivalent of eating only candy for a week straight: it’s tasty and exciting in the beginning… then you grow tired of it… then you grow resentful enough to just want to throw everything away and not eat it at all.
May 11, 2022
Honestly out of all her series I've read this was my least fave.
I still enjoyed it, but for some reason it didn't do it for me. I think the world was well done, I liked the characters I just got a bit bored with the hashing over the same situation over and over. Their long winded talks and how when I thought they had solved it they are suddenly talking over a situation again and im like wait i thought we figured this out.
I think because I do that in my own head, its very similar to how I think, and sometimes I exhaust myself with my long over explained dialogs that I just need a break from that in my books. haha Idk if I'm even explaining that right or not. This is also deff a personal opinion so take it with a grain of salt I still think its well done. I also noticed similarities of the way characters go on and on from her other books as well and maybe I just needed a break from that style for a bit.
I still enjoyed it, but for some reason it didn't do it for me. I think the world was well done, I liked the characters I just got a bit bored with the hashing over the same situation over and over. Their long winded talks and how when I thought they had solved it they are suddenly talking over a situation again and im like wait i thought we figured this out.
I think because I do that in my own head, its very similar to how I think, and sometimes I exhaust myself with my long over explained dialogs that I just need a break from that in my books. haha Idk if I'm even explaining that right or not. This is also deff a personal opinion so take it with a grain of salt I still think its well done. I also noticed similarities of the way characters go on and on from her other books as well and maybe I just needed a break from that style for a bit.
July 2, 2022
One of the best series ever
When it comes to world building in books I still have to find someone who manages to do the things to me Auryn Hadley does. I am in love with Calseth and its Gods. Throughout this series we have watched how High Priest Kinen has ruled over the Temple of Temptation and let power and greed cloud his mind and how he blames Nariana for everything that is going wrong. There's so many amazing scenes and parts I can point out in this final book, but what I love the most is how people from the different paths learn to work together and finally see the importance of every other path in the temple.
This book and this series by extension are magnificent. There's nothing I can truly add to that, because these characters make me feel like coming home.
When it comes to world building in books I still have to find someone who manages to do the things to me Auryn Hadley does. I am in love with Calseth and its Gods. Throughout this series we have watched how High Priest Kinen has ruled over the Temple of Temptation and let power and greed cloud his mind and how he blames Nariana for everything that is going wrong. There's so many amazing scenes and parts I can point out in this final book, but what I love the most is how people from the different paths learn to work together and finally see the importance of every other path in the temple.
This book and this series by extension are magnificent. There's nothing I can truly add to that, because these characters make me feel like coming home.
December 2, 2023
This book series is a Journey.
From the child with a bit of temper to the beautiful, confident, loving woman, we accompanied Narianna through her discoveries about life, love and belief.
I'm highly addicted to Reverse Harem/Poly Romance stories. And those are quite often written by a new inexperience authors and because of that I lowered my expectations BUT ... THIS series... I love the grow of each character.. All they paths that lead to becoming their true self... I'm especially fond of the emotions that were portrayed, of all their doubts they had to ram through and they BECAME the family they craved all along.
From the child with a bit of temper to the beautiful, confident, loving woman, we accompanied Narianna through her discoveries about life, love and belief.
I'm highly addicted to Reverse Harem/Poly Romance stories. And those are quite often written by a new inexperience authors and because of that I lowered my expectations BUT ... THIS series... I love the grow of each character.. All they paths that lead to becoming their true self... I'm especially fond of the emotions that were portrayed, of all their doubts they had to ram through and they BECAME the family they craved all along.
September 2, 2024
August 2024
Kindle edition
Whoop. I finished a RH series. It's a miracle. Think I got four books in before I realized I was essentially reading an academy series. Kinen never really graduated from pathetic. The lawyer seemed like the main problem coming out of nowhere. Nari finally found a girl she liked. I saw the All gods' priest coming. I'm glad it worked out that way. The other temples seemed to have a much easier go of things. Glad Zeal finally lost his temper on the right people this time. The little cafe was cute. No real changes between the main relationships. A lot of discrimination against women and rebellion. Strange series with all the outer connections but I liked it.
Kindle edition
Whoop. I finished a RH series. It's a miracle. Think I got four books in before I realized I was essentially reading an academy series. Kinen never really graduated from pathetic. The lawyer seemed like the main problem coming out of nowhere. Nari finally found a girl she liked. I saw the All gods' priest coming. I'm glad it worked out that way. The other temples seemed to have a much easier go of things. Glad Zeal finally lost his temper on the right people this time. The little cafe was cute. No real changes between the main relationships. A lot of discrimination against women and rebellion. Strange series with all the outer connections but I liked it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2022
Hmmm
I wished the ending/epilogue was better, but whatever... it's been an long journey with this book series with parts that were exciting and some that were down right boring...
I've finally finished and didn't give up on this book series.. Oh boy sometimes reading these books kinda felt like a chore instead of entrainment.. 🤷🏾♀️ but to each its on.. Read it for yourself and see what you think.. Don't just take my word for it you never know right? 🙄
Overall Rating:
(Book Series)
3.5* ~ A Good Read
I wished the ending/epilogue was better, but whatever... it's been an long journey with this book series with parts that were exciting and some that were down right boring...
I've finally finished and didn't give up on this book series.. Oh boy sometimes reading these books kinda felt like a chore instead of entrainment.. 🤷🏾♀️ but to each its on.. Read it for yourself and see what you think.. Don't just take my word for it you never know right? 🙄
Overall Rating:
(Book Series)
3.5* ~ A Good Read
April 29, 2022
I am soooo happy with this ending of a fantastic series
And so so sad that the series is over. One again, Auryn Hadley pulls us into a well crafted world, with characters we fall in love with, feel sorry for, or hate - depending on which character.
I was thrilled to read that there will be more stories in this world, because I want to know how things continue to change, what happens in other temples, and what’s next for the people on the path of temptation.
I don’t want to give spoilers for the series, but sexy, open about sexuality, FF, FM, MM, FMMM, and even a biromantic asexual. This book is the epitome of open minded sexual behaviours.
And so so sad that the series is over. One again, Auryn Hadley pulls us into a well crafted world, with characters we fall in love with, feel sorry for, or hate - depending on which character.
I was thrilled to read that there will be more stories in this world, because I want to know how things continue to change, what happens in other temples, and what’s next for the people on the path of temptation.
I don’t want to give spoilers for the series, but sexy, open about sexuality, FF, FM, MM, FMMM, and even a biromantic asexual. This book is the epitome of open minded sexual behaviours.
May 2, 2022
So Good
I absolutely loved this series. Though I am usually not a fan of several elements within these books, this author has the talent to make love her work regardless. She is wonderful at fully fleshing out and developing characters, relationships, worlds and plots so that I get completely invested. I would highly recommend!
I absolutely loved this series. Though I am usually not a fan of several elements within these books, this author has the talent to make love her work regardless. She is wonderful at fully fleshing out and developing characters, relationships, worlds and plots so that I get completely invested. I would highly recommend!
May 11, 2022
Beautifully ended
I am sad to see Nari's ending! But gosh what a ride!! Book 6 was intense. I was worried for bit and then it all came together in one big flourish!! Auryn this series was perfect and I enjoyed every minute of it!!!
I am sad to see Nari's ending! But gosh what a ride!! Book 6 was intense. I was worried for bit and then it all came together in one big flourish!! Auryn this series was perfect and I enjoyed every minute of it!!!
December 3, 2022
Final book in this story arc, bit more in this world is promised.
September 20, 2024
I haven't enjoyed a series as much as this one in a very long time. I will absolutely be recommending this to all of my kinky/poly reader friends.
January 4, 2025
yep. this was great asf. i just wish we were told where kinen went & maybe a longer, more descriptive epilogue... good final book tho
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January 21, 2025Anver from The Path of Temptation is asexual!
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April 29, 2022
More!!
Need more! Want more! This was another amazing series by Auryn. Loved every part of it except that it ended. Please keep giving us these awesome series !s. Hadley and I'll keep reading them. 💖💖💖
Need more! Want more! This was another amazing series by Auryn. Loved every part of it except that it ended. Please keep giving us these awesome series !s. Hadley and I'll keep reading them. 💖💖💖
June 16, 2024
The overall series was fantastic. A little wordy and repetitive at times but overall worth the read.
May 23, 2022
This review will address how I feel about the series as a whole. This series has a wonderful immersive/transporting quality to it, that I think is rare to find. That is one of the reasons that I enjoyed it, and I suspect many others did too. Despite my high ratings across the board, I think that this series did have some issues. If it had not had this magical quality to it, I would have dropped the ratings down by at least one star.
My favorite things about the series:
The world-building, mythos
The characters' loving relationships
Healthy and sex positive
My least favorite things about the series:
Highly repetitive in certain regards
Plot was a little messy and drawn out
The books were a little too long for the plot they were supporting
I really enjoyed the use of most of the ancillary characters, although some were underused or simply used as steamy catalysts. Mostly, the world-building and relationships saved me from groaning when paragraphs were repeated throughout the books. The last book finally offered a more progressive plot, like the first book had.
My largest plot issues stemmed from the fact
I am certainly interested to see how this author develops either alone or with their writing parter. I think that if the plot and dialogue can be tightened up, then future books will be that much more exciting to get lost in.
My favorite things about the series:
The world-building, mythos
The characters' loving relationships
Healthy and sex positive
My least favorite things about the series:
Highly repetitive in certain regards
Plot was a little messy and drawn out
The books were a little too long for the plot they were supporting
I really enjoyed the use of most of the ancillary characters, although some were underused or simply used as steamy catalysts. Mostly, the world-building and relationships saved me from groaning when paragraphs were repeated throughout the books. The last book finally offered a more progressive plot, like the first book had.
My largest plot issues stemmed from the fact
I am certainly interested to see how this author develops either alone or with their writing parter. I think that if the plot and dialogue can be tightened up, then future books will be that much more exciting to get lost in.
October 19, 2024
please, please, more!
I know you’re going to make another in the future, but please add Zayr’s and Nari’s first time, Thiemos and Ele’s, along with others favorite… I re-read this series so may times and love it more each time. Thank you for writing such wonderful series, but we need a follow up, please!
I know you’re going to make another in the future, but please add Zayr’s and Nari’s first time, Thiemos and Ele’s, along with others favorite… I re-read this series so may times and love it more each time. Thank you for writing such wonderful series, but we need a follow up, please!
July 28, 2022
Why did you read this book?
I am a fan of the author and this series.
What format did you read this book in?
Read it as an ebook on Kindle.
Is this an educational book or a book for entertainment?
I read this book for pure entertainment purposes.
What genres do you think this book belongs to?
Fantasy, Gay and Lesbian, Psychology, Religion, Romance, Spirituality, Adult
What was your favorite part in the book? SPOILERS!
My favorite part of the book is the marriage a the end.
Who would you suggest this book to?
Anyone who likes epic fantasy and reverse harem, or if you’re a fan of the series.
What is your general opinion/ rating of this book? SPOILERS
I am happy at the HEA. This was a good book to complete the series. Unfortunately, most of it fell flat for me. There were a few moments of tension, but for the most part I felt that the story seemed to drag on longer than it needed to. I am happy to see all the villain’s get what they deserved in the end. I am happy that the High Priest of the All Gods temple wasn’t the main heroine. I am surprised who became the new High Priest of Temptation. (I thought it was going to be Saval.) I’m sad to see this series end, but I am looking forward Auryn Hadley next book. I am a huge fan of most of her books. :D
How intense are the intimacy scenes?
VERY intense. There is some FFM, MMMF, MMMMMF, MF… I think I included everything.
At what “burn” level is the romance?
This one burns, “hot”.
Love interests, how many of them are there and what gender? SPOILERS!
There are 5 love interest all male.
Wrathe- Eladehl guardian. Big teddy bear type.
Anver- Becomes Zeal’s guardian. Had his lace redone.
Talin- Nariana guardian. Was part of Temptation Baron's household.
Eladehl- Nariana partner and priest of the body.
Zeal - Temptation God who got his temple back from the corrupt High Priest.
EXTRA
Any trigger warnings?
Racial and Religious: Police Brutality, Microaggressions, Prejudice
LGBTQ+: Acephobic, Homophobia, Biphobia, Internalized Homophobia, Forced Outing of Character
Mental Health: Scars, PTSD, Emotional Abuse, Panic Attacks, Alcoholism, Trauma, Confrontation Abuser, Non-consent behavior
Sexual Content: Explicit Sex Scene, Masturbation, Blowjob, Sexual Predator, Sexual Abuse, Violent Sex
Violence and Death: Death, Graphic Deaths, Execution, Suffocation, Violence, Self-Mutilation(?), Forced Blood Draining, Described Blood
Other: Slut Shaming, Female Oppression, Bullying, Profanity
I am a fan of the author and this series.
What format did you read this book in?
Read it as an ebook on Kindle.
Is this an educational book or a book for entertainment?
I read this book for pure entertainment purposes.
What genres do you think this book belongs to?
Fantasy, Gay and Lesbian, Psychology, Religion, Romance, Spirituality, Adult
What was your favorite part in the book? SPOILERS!
My favorite part of the book is the marriage a the end.
Who would you suggest this book to?
Anyone who likes epic fantasy and reverse harem, or if you’re a fan of the series.
What is your general opinion/ rating of this book? SPOILERS
I am happy at the HEA. This was a good book to complete the series. Unfortunately, most of it fell flat for me. There were a few moments of tension, but for the most part I felt that the story seemed to drag on longer than it needed to. I am happy to see all the villain’s get what they deserved in the end. I am happy that the High Priest of the All Gods temple wasn’t the main heroine. I am surprised who became the new High Priest of Temptation. (I thought it was going to be Saval.) I’m sad to see this series end, but I am looking forward Auryn Hadley next book. I am a huge fan of most of her books. :D
How intense are the intimacy scenes?
VERY intense. There is some FFM, MMMF, MMMMMF, MF… I think I included everything.
At what “burn” level is the romance?
This one burns, “hot”.
Love interests, how many of them are there and what gender? SPOILERS!
There are 5 love interest all male.
Wrathe- Eladehl guardian. Big teddy bear type.
Anver- Becomes Zeal’s guardian. Had his lace redone.
Talin- Nariana guardian. Was part of Temptation Baron's household.
Eladehl- Nariana partner and priest of the body.
Zeal - Temptation God who got his temple back from the corrupt High Priest.
EXTRA
Any trigger warnings?
Racial and Religious: Police Brutality, Microaggressions, Prejudice
LGBTQ+: Acephobic, Homophobia, Biphobia, Internalized Homophobia, Forced Outing of Character
Mental Health: Scars, PTSD, Emotional Abuse, Panic Attacks, Alcoholism, Trauma, Confrontation Abuser, Non-consent behavior
Sexual Content: Explicit Sex Scene, Masturbation, Blowjob, Sexual Predator, Sexual Abuse, Violent Sex
Violence and Death: Death, Graphic Deaths, Execution, Suffocation, Violence, Self-Mutilation(?), Forced Blood Draining, Described Blood
Other: Slut Shaming, Female Oppression, Bullying, Profanity
January 21, 2026
Excuse me while I make this series my entire personality 🤭
Now that that’s out of the way… wow was it very very very repetitive. If I had a dollar for every time they said “the snake has five heads,” I could personally fund the two extra books this series did not need. Somehow, Nari in primary school had more character growth than initiate Nari, which is honestly impressive in the worst way. And yes, the ending technically ties everything up with no loose ends, but after all the helplessness, trauma, and general suffering, it felt painfully anticlimactic. All that for this?
Let’s talk about the sexualities, because… yikes. I get that people evolve, but Anver and Wrayth were very clear about what they wanted from the start. By the end, Anver felt less and less asexual—not in a thoughtful, organic way, but in a way that felt borderline harassing, like everyone suddenly forgot what boundaries are (Yes, Anver included). And don’t even get me started on Talin and Wrayth. Wrayth being straight was brought up approximately a million times, so Talin randomly having his mouth on him added absolutely nothing except discomfort 😬
As for Nari, her suddenly being intensely attracted to some random girl she passed on the stairs felt forced, like the story was going out of its way to make sure we knew she was open to being with women. That’s why it’s extra frustrating because I actually loved her crush on Xenia—it was genuinely cute. But then every single male POV also had to comment on how Xenia is kind of pretty but obviously not as pretty as Nari 🙄, which just cheapened it and made the whole thing feel weirdly repetitive again.
Now—credit where credit is due—there is a LOT I loved about this series Drumroll please
The way Jamik and Amerlee raised Nari? Elite. No notes. The relationships between all of Nari’s parents were genuinely one of the strongest parts of the story and felt warm, layered, and earned. I also loved the closure we got regarding Nari’s Papa—it was emotional, satisfying, and handled with care. Watching Nari build a relationship with her Compassion siblings was just heartwarming 🥰
The writing itself deserves praise too, because it was strong enough to make me cry over a character I actively hated—Tath’s death was intense and emotionally devastating in a way I did not expect. And honestly? Just Jola. I love her, end of discussion. Honorable mentions to the side characters who came through 100% of the time: Grath, Farik, Migard, and Zeyr—you will always be in my heart 🫶
Now that that’s out of the way… wow was it very very very repetitive. If I had a dollar for every time they said “the snake has five heads,” I could personally fund the two extra books this series did not need. Somehow, Nari in primary school had more character growth than initiate Nari, which is honestly impressive in the worst way. And yes, the ending technically ties everything up with no loose ends, but after all the helplessness, trauma, and general suffering, it felt painfully anticlimactic. All that for this?
Let’s talk about the sexualities, because… yikes. I get that people evolve, but Anver and Wrayth were very clear about what they wanted from the start. By the end, Anver felt less and less asexual—not in a thoughtful, organic way, but in a way that felt borderline harassing, like everyone suddenly forgot what boundaries are (Yes, Anver included). And don’t even get me started on Talin and Wrayth. Wrayth being straight was brought up approximately a million times, so Talin randomly having his mouth on him added absolutely nothing except discomfort 😬
As for Nari, her suddenly being intensely attracted to some random girl she passed on the stairs felt forced, like the story was going out of its way to make sure we knew she was open to being with women. That’s why it’s extra frustrating because I actually loved her crush on Xenia—it was genuinely cute. But then every single male POV also had to comment on how Xenia is kind of pretty but obviously not as pretty as Nari 🙄, which just cheapened it and made the whole thing feel weirdly repetitive again.
Now—credit where credit is due—there is a LOT I loved about this series Drumroll please
The way Jamik and Amerlee raised Nari? Elite. No notes. The relationships between all of Nari’s parents were genuinely one of the strongest parts of the story and felt warm, layered, and earned. I also loved the closure we got regarding Nari’s Papa—it was emotional, satisfying, and handled with care. Watching Nari build a relationship with her Compassion siblings was just heartwarming 🥰
The writing itself deserves praise too, because it was strong enough to make me cry over a character I actively hated—Tath’s death was intense and emotionally devastating in a way I did not expect. And honestly? Just Jola. I love her, end of discussion. Honorable mentions to the side characters who came through 100% of the time: Grath, Farik, Migard, and Zeyr—you will always be in my heart 🫶
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2025
I loved the series as a whole. But this book was a bit of a disappointment for me. I think it was confusing. The main characters are back to care so much about graduating. And I don't really get the pressure to do that. Their god says it's fine, because they are the Chosen and he will never cast them out. Meanwhile there is a rebellion (sort of). Nari wants so much to join in on the meetings and the organization of it. She goes to one meeting and then nothing much after that. I like the idea of them wanting to do everything in the proper and legal way, but I wasn't missing bureaucracy in my rh fantasy series... And after all it didn't even matter in the end, because the issues were resolved in entirely another way.
The romance was also a bit lacking here. So much time was spent on their relationships and character growth in the previous books, that there wasn't much left for this book. So the author decided to randomly throw another girl side piece in the mix. And Nari felt utterly unprepared for a female lover. How? Why? Asking the guys how to find the clit? Didn't you have the equivalent of the deepthroat lessons last year? And there's a sentence I never thought I'd write.
Also, I don't get why the author was afraid to go all in on the idea of the Path of the body for Nari. No random lovers for the Chosen one, apparently. It's never once shown on page or mentioned that it happened. It's either a ploy to ruin/kill her, or it's someone she already knows, has a connection to or is crushing on.
This series could've been so much better with a little refinement of the plot and reducing the overall length by editing out the repetitions. I did love the great worldbuilding, characters and the romance the author creates.
The romance was also a bit lacking here. So much time was spent on their relationships and character growth in the previous books, that there wasn't much left for this book. So the author decided to randomly throw another girl side piece in the mix. And Nari felt utterly unprepared for a female lover. How? Why? Asking the guys how to find the clit? Didn't you have the equivalent of the deepthroat lessons last year? And there's a sentence I never thought I'd write.
Also, I don't get why the author was afraid to go all in on the idea of the Path of the body for Nari. No random lovers for the Chosen one, apparently. It's never once shown on page or mentioned that it happened. It's either a ploy to ruin/kill her, or it's someone she already knows, has a connection to or is crushing on.
This series could've been so much better with a little refinement of the plot and reducing the overall length by editing out the repetitions. I did love the great worldbuilding, characters and the romance the author creates.
July 25, 2022
Original
This series was very original. I've never read a series where the main character is in a temple based on temptation. The series develops slowly, but still moves quickly enough to not get bored. The author developed the characters in a way that you actually cared about them and she made them real enough that you could empathize with them. Every book developed the plot a little more and made you want to know what happens next. The conclusion was excellent and I felt that everything tied together nicely.
All that being said, the one thing I didn't care for in this series was that I felt that it was pushing an agenda that I'm sick of hearing about.... Mainly, it's pushing gender identity and homosexuality. Before you freak out and call me a phobic, just know that I have no problem with either group. ( my son is gay), my problem is that I don't read books for a controversial topics to be addressed and the authors view to be pushed. I had no problem that characters were gay, transgender, or anything else. I felt that the author just pushed her views of those characters making anyone with a different opinion be bad. I would rather an author leave the characters to just be who they are and not use wording making it seem "my view is the only view and you are evil if you have a different view". The characters were developed well enough that you liked \disliked them regardless of their sexual identity. It could have been left at that.
No matter what I disliked about this series, I loved it. I would probably read it again. I had a hard time putting it down. Totally worth reading an I highly recommend it.
This series was very original. I've never read a series where the main character is in a temple based on temptation. The series develops slowly, but still moves quickly enough to not get bored. The author developed the characters in a way that you actually cared about them and she made them real enough that you could empathize with them. Every book developed the plot a little more and made you want to know what happens next. The conclusion was excellent and I felt that everything tied together nicely.
All that being said, the one thing I didn't care for in this series was that I felt that it was pushing an agenda that I'm sick of hearing about.... Mainly, it's pushing gender identity and homosexuality. Before you freak out and call me a phobic, just know that I have no problem with either group. ( my son is gay), my problem is that I don't read books for a controversial topics to be addressed and the authors view to be pushed. I had no problem that characters were gay, transgender, or anything else. I felt that the author just pushed her views of those characters making anyone with a different opinion be bad. I would rather an author leave the characters to just be who they are and not use wording making it seem "my view is the only view and you are evil if you have a different view". The characters were developed well enough that you liked \disliked them regardless of their sexual identity. It could have been left at that.
No matter what I disliked about this series, I loved it. I would probably read it again. I had a hard time putting it down. Totally worth reading an I highly recommend it.
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