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Monstrously Mythic #2
Herculeia the Hero
When I embarked on my rebound rodeo cruise, the last place I expected to end up was on hot-bod monster island. Not that I’m complaining. The views are fantastic and the impressive amenities offered by my hosts have made it easy to come back for more.
10/10 would recommend.
I’m starting to think there’s some truth to this whole “mate-bond” thing—if the murderous rage I feel whenever anyone threatens what’s mine is any indication.
Scary Leia is ready to throw hands… or claws… or tentacles.
Now my ride or die is stuck here with me, and our enemies are closer than we think. My men believe they can’t be heroes, but they’ve already proven there’s more to them than meets the eye.
I intend to clear their names if it’s the last thing I do. Olympus is about to learn, there is no monster greater than a bad bish like me.
—-
Please note: This is book 2 in a duet. You will want to read The 12 Hunks of Herculeia first.
Herculeia the Hero is a medium-dark rom-com loosely based on the 12 Labors of Heracles, with many ridiculous liberties taken. And before my fellow history nerds get their togas in a bunch, I am aware that Hercules/Herculeia is the Roman spelling (it gets addressed in the book, trust.)
This book is meant for readers 18 and over.
This series includes:
MM (loads of it - with their own relationship arcs)Multiple POV
Cliffies
Possible triggers in this series:
Sweary dialogue
Naughty irreverent humor
An overly possessive, slightly unhinged group of men
Very spicy extracurricular activities (please see inside book for more details)
Light threat of violence with a knife
Trauma related to past death in the family, a bad breakup, and a magical shipwreck
Signature weirdness and medium-dark elements
Greek myths with many ridiculous liberties taken
In general, please do not read this if you own pearls to clutch, or if you regularly ask to speak to the manager, as you and I will probably not get along.
10/10 would recommend.
I’m starting to think there’s some truth to this whole “mate-bond” thing—if the murderous rage I feel whenever anyone threatens what’s mine is any indication.
Scary Leia is ready to throw hands… or claws… or tentacles.
Now my ride or die is stuck here with me, and our enemies are closer than we think. My men believe they can’t be heroes, but they’ve already proven there’s more to them than meets the eye.
I intend to clear their names if it’s the last thing I do. Olympus is about to learn, there is no monster greater than a bad bish like me.
—-
Please note: This is book 2 in a duet. You will want to read The 12 Hunks of Herculeia first.
Herculeia the Hero is a medium-dark rom-com loosely based on the 12 Labors of Heracles, with many ridiculous liberties taken. And before my fellow history nerds get their togas in a bunch, I am aware that Hercules/Herculeia is the Roman spelling (it gets addressed in the book, trust.)
This book is meant for readers 18 and over.
This series includes:
MM (loads of it - with their own relationship arcs)Multiple POV
Cliffies
Possible triggers in this series:
Sweary dialogue
Naughty irreverent humor
An overly possessive, slightly unhinged group of men
Very spicy extracurricular activities (please see inside book for more details)
Light threat of violence with a knife
Trauma related to past death in the family, a bad breakup, and a magical shipwreck
Signature weirdness and medium-dark elements
Greek myths with many ridiculous liberties taken
In general, please do not read this if you own pearls to clutch, or if you regularly ask to speak to the manager, as you and I will probably not get along.
392 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 30, 2022
223 people are currently reading
470 people want to read
About the author
C. Rochelle
36 books1,658 followersLaugh, Cry & Clench Your Thighs!
Stay connected by joining my Clubhouse of Smut on Patreon, my Little Sinners FB Group, subscribing to my newsletter, and lovingly st@lking me in all the places: https://c-rochelle.com/
C. Rochelle here! I’m a naughty but sweet, introverted, Aquarius weirdo who believes a sharp sense of humor is the sexiest trait, loves shaking my booty to Prince, and have never met a cheese I didn’t like. Oh, and I write spicy Paranormal/Sci-Fi/Monster Why Choose + MM, MFF & MMF romance with dark, naughty humor and a #loveislove mentality.
Stay connected by joining my Clubhouse of Smut on Patreon, my Little Sinners FB Group, subscribing to my newsletter, and lovingly st@lking me in all the places: https://c-rochelle.com/
C. Rochelle here! I’m a naughty but sweet, introverted, Aquarius weirdo who believes a sharp sense of humor is the sexiest trait, loves shaking my booty to Prince, and have never met a cheese I didn’t like. Oh, and I write spicy Paranormal/Sci-Fi/Monster Why Choose + MM, MFF & MMF romance with dark, naughty humor and a #loveislove mentality.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 205 reviews
September 12, 2022
I wanted to like it.
I really did.
But man. It was BORING.
So. So much talking about NOTHING and then something RANDOM. Then sex. Then nothing. Then more spice. Then random 1/2 a conversation. Then. Oh. Another mate.
I was just not in it anymore.
🤷🏻♀️
I really did.
But man. It was BORING.
So. So much talking about NOTHING and then something RANDOM. Then sex. Then nothing. Then more spice. Then random 1/2 a conversation. Then. Oh. Another mate.
I was just not in it anymore.
🤷🏻♀️
June 14, 2024
Leia was a fun FMC with attitude and self-confidence that took on Greek legendary monsters like the monster fu€ker she was. She had plenty of trauma, self image, and other issues to unpack as she went on her journey, but she did a pretty good job. There were 12 other MCs so buckle up!
Ambrose was the best kitty and recovering alcoholic who, like all the others, had a penchant for keeping his cards close to the chest. Timyn is my true love with his bratty sassy way of getting people to get through their own issues and slowly figuring out he was multidimensional himself. Krysos was kind of what one would expect from a fae, with his vanity, but also dealt with some self-hatred—a not uncommon theme among the monsters. Julius was the grumpiest grump with a love of super primal play. Vann was the resident Norseman and tended to isolate himself, though not nearly as much as Chamenos. Zephyr was a lil bit bratty, but not nearly as bratty as Timyn. Although he liked to wreak havoc, he also liked to soothe when appropriate. Chamenos was the meekest of the lot and had the worst self image. He also was an absolute cinnamon roll. Philippos was cranky, though not as much as Julius, but rivaled him for the time required to jump aboard with any plans, due to his pessimism. NGL, Ladon, Orthros, Geryon, and Cerberus were all a bit of a question mark by the end of the book. They weren’t there long enough to make more of an impression beyond being generally supportive and having some similar traumas to the others.
I think 12 MMCs was a bit ambitious and took away some time that could have been spent investing into the relationships between all the other characters. However, the smut was super fun and I still enjoyed the book and overarching plot that played around with Greek mythology,
Spice: 5/5
Triggers: Naughty irreverent humor including horse jokes An overly possessive, slightly unhinged group of mates Explicit sex, including kink (eg. primal play, praise/degradation, asphyxiation, and a breeding kink without traditional pregnancy) and edgeplay Light threat of violence with a knife and a brief but bloody graphic death (outside the main characters, barely a side character) Trauma/grief/anxiety related to past death in the family (father - car accident), a bad breakup (cheating), and a magical shipwreck (where our girl was thrown overboard) Ongoing familial betrayal involving lying and gaslighting (mother) Slut-shaming (from the Big Bad) Snakes (one of the men is a Hydra, so he has 9 snake heads and forked tongues, and various other creatures have snakes elements to their bodies) Signature weirdness and medium-dark elements Greek myths with many ridiculous liberties taken, possibly incestuous relationships between MMCs
Ambrose was the best kitty and recovering alcoholic who, like all the others, had a penchant for keeping his cards close to the chest. Timyn is my true love with his bratty sassy way of getting people to get through their own issues and slowly figuring out he was multidimensional himself. Krysos was kind of what one would expect from a fae, with his vanity, but also dealt with some self-hatred—a not uncommon theme among the monsters. Julius was the grumpiest grump with a love of super primal play. Vann was the resident Norseman and tended to isolate himself, though not nearly as much as Chamenos. Zephyr was a lil bit bratty, but not nearly as bratty as Timyn. Although he liked to wreak havoc, he also liked to soothe when appropriate. Chamenos was the meekest of the lot and had the worst self image. He also was an absolute cinnamon roll. Philippos was cranky, though not as much as Julius, but rivaled him for the time required to jump aboard with any plans, due to his pessimism. NGL, Ladon, Orthros, Geryon, and Cerberus were all a bit of a question mark by the end of the book. They weren’t there long enough to make more of an impression beyond being generally supportive and having some similar traumas to the others.
I think 12 MMCs was a bit ambitious and took away some time that could have been spent investing into the relationships between all the other characters. However, the smut was super fun and I still enjoyed the book and overarching plot that played around with Greek mythology,
Spice: 5/5
Triggers: Naughty irreverent humor including horse jokes An overly possessive, slightly unhinged group of mates Explicit sex, including kink (eg. primal play, praise/degradation, asphyxiation, and a breeding kink without traditional pregnancy) and edgeplay Light threat of violence with a knife and a brief but bloody graphic death (outside the main characters, barely a side character) Trauma/grief/anxiety related to past death in the family (father - car accident), a bad breakup (cheating), and a magical shipwreck (where our girl was thrown overboard) Ongoing familial betrayal involving lying and gaslighting (mother) Slut-shaming (from the Big Bad) Snakes (one of the men is a Hydra, so he has 9 snake heads and forked tongues, and various other creatures have snakes elements to their bodies) Signature weirdness and medium-dark elements Greek myths with many ridiculous liberties taken, possibly incestuous relationships between MMCs
August 20, 2022
Whew! That was a wild ride! The plot twists were extra twisty in this one. 😳 I, of course, with my complete lack of self control stayed up until 330 am to finish this thicc beast. When I say I gasped and did a little happy dance the moment the email preview showed my ARC copy had been delivered a day early, I am not exaggerating.
If you’re looking for some smutty monster goodness with unique and sometimes even a little weird fancy equipment, as well as a lotta heart, healing, and so many laughs that you’ll almost definitely get dirty looks for if you don’t read this behind closed doors, you will want to pick this up.
I don’t want to spoil anything before the release, so I will probably write a second more in-depth review to talk about all the things I loved that I’ll revise/update on GR once it IS live. There are so many things that C. Rochelle did well that I want to highlight but I also don’t want to ruin it for people looking at the early read reviews to decide if they want to read the duet lol. Which you should, it’s fantastic. 😁
♥️
There are two things I can tell you without giving much away. First, I usually find larger harems too confusing, but I really think having these men/monsters represent the 12 labors of Heracles helped with that confusion. Plus they were all very much their own people, with their own personalities, fancy equipment, and *cough* bedroom antics. It didn’t feel overwhelming either because while we did get some absolutely delightful group scenes, the number of monsters in our heroines bed at any given time was kept reasonable. C. Rochelle is also really great at what a lot of authors fail at, keeping track of everyone’s limbs & junk 😂 I don’t scratch my head trying to think of where someone’s something is.
The other thing that C. Rochelle does well that I can talk about vaguely enough to not spoil anything are the relationship dynamics, especially the interconnected ones that make this such a delicious polyam RH read. Yes we have our main heroine at the center of this yummy 12 (13 including her?) layer sandwich but she encourages, even salivates over, her men/monsters sharing and taking part in each other. And it’s NOT in a gross objectifying gay interactions way. And their interactions aren’t just s3x, they share vulnerabilities and intimacy beyond just physical; they form genuine bonds and some even pair off to form *mate bonds* like they have with Leia. It really enriches the story in my opinion, and it makes the larger harem so much more realistic.
Like I said, I’ll probably come back to this and revise/add more thoughts because I really do love this duet, especially this second book, but don’t want to ruin it for anyone.
But Um… one last note.
Chamenos is mine, I licked him and called dibs 👀👅 😍
If you’re looking for some smutty monster goodness with unique and sometimes even a little weird fancy equipment, as well as a lotta heart, healing, and so many laughs that you’ll almost definitely get dirty looks for if you don’t read this behind closed doors, you will want to pick this up.
I don’t want to spoil anything before the release, so I will probably write a second more in-depth review to talk about all the things I loved that I’ll revise/update on GR once it IS live. There are so many things that C. Rochelle did well that I want to highlight but I also don’t want to ruin it for people looking at the early read reviews to decide if they want to read the duet lol. Which you should, it’s fantastic. 😁
♥️
There are two things I can tell you without giving much away. First, I usually find larger harems too confusing, but I really think having these men/monsters represent the 12 labors of Heracles helped with that confusion. Plus they were all very much their own people, with their own personalities, fancy equipment, and *cough* bedroom antics. It didn’t feel overwhelming either because while we did get some absolutely delightful group scenes, the number of monsters in our heroines bed at any given time was kept reasonable. C. Rochelle is also really great at what a lot of authors fail at, keeping track of everyone’s limbs & junk 😂 I don’t scratch my head trying to think of where someone’s something is.
The other thing that C. Rochelle does well that I can talk about vaguely enough to not spoil anything are the relationship dynamics, especially the interconnected ones that make this such a delicious polyam RH read. Yes we have our main heroine at the center of this yummy 12 (13 including her?) layer sandwich but she encourages, even salivates over, her men/monsters sharing and taking part in each other. And it’s NOT in a gross objectifying gay interactions way. And their interactions aren’t just s3x, they share vulnerabilities and intimacy beyond just physical; they form genuine bonds and some even pair off to form *mate bonds* like they have with Leia. It really enriches the story in my opinion, and it makes the larger harem so much more realistic.
Like I said, I’ll probably come back to this and revise/add more thoughts because I really do love this duet, especially this second book, but don’t want to ruin it for anyone.
But Um… one last note.
Chamenos is mine, I licked him and called dibs 👀👅 😍
June 24, 2023
Oh, man what a ride! C. Rochelle delivers again. I don't think I've ever before fallen in love with so many characters simultaneously.
Leia is my girl! I find her so relatable and I loved going on her hero's journey with her.
Definitely some twists and surprises in the plot that are so well done when you look back it all makes sense.
I still really love Timyn. He's like the perfect Ho-partner in crime. Loved meeting the rest of the mates. My favorite parts of this duet has to be how these monster/men have their own loving relationships among them both separate from and including Leia. I really appreciate the way C. Rochelle writes all the relationships. Every relationship is given equal weight even if we crave more time to explore with all of them. Love is love. I definitely want more time with everyone and am so excited for upcoming bonus content 🤩
Whew the spice 🥵🥵 I'm honestly still processing, but it was sooo good! So much variety and all my favorite monster ❤er tropes included 🙌
After finishing this duet all I want to do is go back, but, alas, life... Anyways, I know what I'll be reading the next time I need a vacation. This duet is the perfect read for a staycation getaway!
Leia is my girl! I find her so relatable and I loved going on her hero's journey with her.
Definitely some twists and surprises in the plot that are so well done when you look back it all makes sense.
I still really love Timyn. He's like the perfect Ho-partner in crime. Loved meeting the rest of the mates. My favorite parts of this duet has to be how these monster/men have their own loving relationships among them both separate from and including Leia. I really appreciate the way C. Rochelle writes all the relationships. Every relationship is given equal weight even if we crave more time to explore with all of them. Love is love. I definitely want more time with everyone and am so excited for upcoming bonus content 🤩
Whew the spice 🥵🥵 I'm honestly still processing, but it was sooo good! So much variety and all my favorite monster ❤er tropes included 🙌
After finishing this duet all I want to do is go back, but, alas, life... Anyways, I know what I'll be reading the next time I need a vacation. This duet is the perfect read for a staycation getaway!
September 3, 2022
Stupid but good. It was smut. Good smut. And a bit of plot thrown around here and there. But we read it for smut. It advertises as smut. So no hate please!
It was funny!
And I have nothing against both these books except for their atrocious covers really
It was funny!
And I have nothing against both these books except for their atrocious covers really
September 9, 2022
This duet was simply amazing. Again, I love Greek Mythology and the liberties taken with this duet are 🥵
« They’re totally my boyfriends now. I’d somehow become a proud card-carrying member of ‘Team Mate Bond’ despite boarding the cruise looking for a no strings attached arrangement. I blamed it partly on horniness, but mostly on fate. » Get It Girl!! 😄🌶
« “Because I was lost in the dark until you appeared to illuminate my path.” Staaaahp. » *swoon* 🥰
« “So this is ‘love’ that I’ve been feeling! And here I thought it was simply indigestion.” » I live Timyn. He's absolutely hilarious 😂 and a hydra to boot 😉
« I realized I’d never told the rest of them this oh-soimportant detail. “No, um… I aimed a little higher than that. Right before Typhon appeared from the sea, I maaaaay have vowed to take down Zeus and all of Olympus with me.” Sowwy… The silence that descended felt like it reached all the way down to Tartarus. Before I could open my mouth to apologize for possibly—probably, one hundred percent—making things worse, Julius was on me, tossing me onto the bed and frantically pawing at my clothes. “Truffle,” he growled, his boar pulsing under his skin. “I am going to fuck you until you scream, my perfect vengeful little—” » How are they so hot??!! 🥵🥵🔥
« It was funny how some of my guys got squirrelly whenever I mentioned giving Olympus a piece of my mind, while others looked like they were about to cream in their togas. » Justified reactions 😁
« My monstrous men, my sexy psychopaths, my heroes. Just as they are. » I'm so sad that it has ended 🥺 But I am looking forward to Iola's book and men 😉❤
« They’re totally my boyfriends now. I’d somehow become a proud card-carrying member of ‘Team Mate Bond’ despite boarding the cruise looking for a no strings attached arrangement. I blamed it partly on horniness, but mostly on fate. » Get It Girl!! 😄🌶
« “Because I was lost in the dark until you appeared to illuminate my path.” Staaaahp. » *swoon* 🥰
« “So this is ‘love’ that I’ve been feeling! And here I thought it was simply indigestion.” » I live Timyn. He's absolutely hilarious 😂 and a hydra to boot 😉
« I realized I’d never told the rest of them this oh-soimportant detail. “No, um… I aimed a little higher than that. Right before Typhon appeared from the sea, I maaaaay have vowed to take down Zeus and all of Olympus with me.” Sowwy… The silence that descended felt like it reached all the way down to Tartarus. Before I could open my mouth to apologize for possibly—probably, one hundred percent—making things worse, Julius was on me, tossing me onto the bed and frantically pawing at my clothes. “Truffle,” he growled, his boar pulsing under his skin. “I am going to fuck you until you scream, my perfect vengeful little—” » How are they so hot??!! 🥵🥵🔥
« It was funny how some of my guys got squirrelly whenever I mentioned giving Olympus a piece of my mind, while others looked like they were about to cream in their togas. » Justified reactions 😁
« My monstrous men, my sexy psychopaths, my heroes. Just as they are. » I'm so sad that it has ended 🥺 But I am looking forward to Iola's book and men 😉❤
August 28, 2022
4.5 star review!
The monster dong fest continues and I loved every page. I cannot believe all of the chaos that ensued. I won't say much because sPoILeRs, but I absolutely love the way Rochelle incorporates wicked humor and the struggles of every day life into the Greek mythology dark romance. Seriously, loved how all of her monsters came together and honestly, Iola brought so much sass and banter to the mix.
Definitely a huge fan of Iola coming into Leia's world and seeing the monster mash.
Highly recommend this next installment for those who devoured book one or anyone who just wants to laugh and cross their legs at the same time.
The monster dong fest continues and I loved every page. I cannot believe all of the chaos that ensued. I won't say much because sPoILeRs, but I absolutely love the way Rochelle incorporates wicked humor and the struggles of every day life into the Greek mythology dark romance. Seriously, loved how all of her monsters came together and honestly, Iola brought so much sass and banter to the mix.
Definitely a huge fan of Iola coming into Leia's world and seeing the monster mash.
Highly recommend this next installment for those who devoured book one or anyone who just wants to laugh and cross their legs at the same time.
August 20, 2022
I absolutely LOVED this book and was crying laughing and yet also unalived by the smuttttt 🥵🥵🥵
It was so good to reconnect with the characters from 12 Hunks and meet the new men within the new dynamic! I love love all the feelings within the partners and the deep MM relationships built, discovered and embraced. Not only are these men Leias soulmates, some of them has found that with eachother to, which was beautiful
Julius has long been my favourite and with the addition of murder bird…Myyyy sstttaarrassssss.. Jesus take the wheel I was UNALIVED!! 🥵🥵☠️☠️
The smut is insane and delicious. The humor and snark is hysterical. The emotional connection and conclusion was beautiful AND cool plot twists!
Loved the conclusion of this duet and can’t wait for bonus content! So many side stories can happen with these guys and I don’t want to ever let them go!
It was so good to reconnect with the characters from 12 Hunks and meet the new men within the new dynamic! I love love all the feelings within the partners and the deep MM relationships built, discovered and embraced. Not only are these men Leias soulmates, some of them has found that with eachother to, which was beautiful
Julius has long been my favourite and with the addition of murder bird…Myyyy sstttaarrassssss.. Jesus take the wheel I was UNALIVED!! 🥵🥵☠️☠️
The smut is insane and delicious. The humor and snark is hysterical. The emotional connection and conclusion was beautiful AND cool plot twists!
Loved the conclusion of this duet and can’t wait for bonus content! So many side stories can happen with these guys and I don’t want to ever let them go!
August 30, 2022
I am absolutely OBSESSED with this book!!
From crying laughing to all the plot twists that made me want to throw my kindle and ALL OF THAT SPICE 🥵😮💨, I quite literally couldn’t put the book down!
We get meet the rest of Leila’s mates, for a total of 12 MATES!! and ALL of their special anatomy 😏 as they continue on with their quest against Eurystheus. It literally felt like mini cliffhangers after each chapter with the amount of plot twists that were happening! Just when I thought I had figured something out it turned out I was wrong 😅. I can’t wait for Iola’s story! I JUST KNOW that’s it’s gonna be a good one!
From crying laughing to all the plot twists that made me want to throw my kindle and ALL OF THAT SPICE 🥵😮💨, I quite literally couldn’t put the book down!
We get meet the rest of Leila’s mates, for a total of 12 MATES!! and ALL of their special anatomy 😏 as they continue on with their quest against Eurystheus. It literally felt like mini cliffhangers after each chapter with the amount of plot twists that were happening! Just when I thought I had figured something out it turned out I was wrong 😅. I can’t wait for Iola’s story! I JUST KNOW that’s it’s gonna be a good one!
October 25, 2022
Ok
Book easy to summarize: dicks, appendages, tentacles, and a messy end.
Herculeia continues collecting monster mates and finally finds the truth about her family.
I'm not sure I really like how some guys mated together without including Leia...sounds more like poly relationships than a proper RH🤔
The grand finale was a bit messy and some parts didn't really make sense. A bit disappointing in my opinion.
Book easy to summarize: dicks, appendages, tentacles, and a messy end.
Herculeia continues collecting monster mates and finally finds the truth about her family.
I'm not sure I really like how some guys mated together without including Leia...sounds more like poly relationships than a proper RH🤔
The grand finale was a bit messy and some parts didn't really make sense. A bit disappointing in my opinion.
March 12, 2023
2023 Buddy Read with CatLady
How do I even review this after enjoying The 12 Hunks of Herculeia so much? I wanted to love this book. But I think that ultimately, the things that I ignored in book 1 in favor of just enjoying the spicy, fun story were too blaringly in-your-face in this book to truly be a stronger finisher to this duology.
Iola. I'd have preferred they were out of the story entirely tbh. I don't think she brought anything to the plot, to the other characters, to the worldbuilding.. you get my drift. And as soon as Leia seemed to be right back to square one and any character development was thrown out the window. The way the monsters occasionally took note of her in their POV made me feel like she was meant to be a more active part of their group, which definitely wouldn't have worked for me with her current characterization. I wonder if I would've enjoyed another female character without the ties to Leia/the trendy IG-filtered modern world more?
If I ever wondered how many men/monsters would be too much in a RH, I have a rough estimate of an answer. Twelve felt totally unmanageable. By the time the Mare of Diomedes was introduced, I was already skimming some of the scenes. Where I loved the interconnectedness of the monsters in the first book, this one felt more like everyone coupled off and Leia could barely spread her legs fast enough for the newbie to slide on home.
A few of the monsters from book 1 continued to be highlights for me - Ambrose, Krysos, Timyn and Vann (some of the first met - coincidence? I think not). As my good friend CatLady put it, I wish we had more group scenes and dynamics than the subpairings+Leia. The occasional time we crossed out of those pairings was the only time I wasn't skimming content towards the last half of the book.
This one is going next to House of Sky and Breath on the sad wall of What Could Have Been. *pouts*
Leia grimaced, shifting in Ambrose's arms. "Yeah, I really am sorry if me shouting at the fucking sea like a mad woman made more of a mess for you guys."
How do I even review this after enjoying The 12 Hunks of Herculeia so much? I wanted to love this book. But I think that ultimately, the things that I ignored in book 1 in favor of just enjoying the spicy, fun story were too blaringly in-your-face in this book to truly be a stronger finisher to this duology.
"Hiiii, I'm Iola, Leia's neice, and I'm just chilling here like a... seventh wheel while y'all keep chugging this fuck-train along toward the tunnel of love."
Iola. I'd have preferred they were out of the story entirely tbh. I don't think she brought anything to the plot, to the other characters, to the worldbuilding.. you get my drift. And as soon as Leia seemed to be right back to square one and any character development was thrown out the window. The way the monsters occasionally took note of her in their POV made me feel like she was meant to be a more active part of their group, which definitely wouldn't have worked for me with her current characterization. I wonder if I would've enjoyed another female character without the ties to Leia/the trendy IG-filtered modern world more?
Timyn appeared more puzzled than reprimanded by her harsh words. "Why would I not talk about the majesty that is Herculeia's glorious ? She is my mate - our mate - and I see no problem with declaring my love for all her wondrous parts as loudly as possible."
If I ever wondered how many men/monsters would be too much in a RH, I have a rough estimate of an answer. Twelve felt totally unmanageable. By the time the Mare of Diomedes was introduced, I was already skimming some of the scenes. Where I loved the interconnectedness of the monsters in the first book, this one felt more like everyone coupled off and Leia could barely spread her legs fast enough for the newbie to slide on home.
"You know, you look like some sort of 19th-century whaling wife, pacing the widow's walk while she waits for her husband to return from his voyage at sea."
The Hydra dramatically signed before turning one of his nine heads away from the horizon to mournfully gaze at me. "Vann told me stories of how much fun it was capsizing whaling vessels. Do you think that's what's keeping him away so long?"
A few of the monsters from book 1 continued to be highlights for me - Ambrose, Krysos, Timyn and Vann (some of the first met - coincidence? I think not). As my good friend CatLady put it, I wish we had more group scenes and dynamics than the subpairings+Leia. The occasional time we crossed out of those pairings was the only time I wasn't skimming content towards the last half of the book.
This one is going next to House of Sky and Breath on the sad wall of What Could Have Been. *pouts*
December 4, 2025
⭐️⭐️.5/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
- MMMMMMMMMMMFMM
- Greek mythology
- Trapped on a mysterious cursed island
- Monster romance
- Fated mates
- Unique monster 🍆
- Breeding kink
- Lot of DP and also TP
- Lot of 💦
- Actual pregnancy in this book (at the very end)
- Mpreg (at the very end)
I love Timyn so much haha, he is 100% my favorite monster ho.
The 7 new men we meet in this book:
- Zephyr: Stymphalian Bird with an affinity for blood. Has a cock pocket and his dick is very very long and like a corkscrew
- Chamenos: Cretan Bull. He doesn’t have a human form, only his Minotaur form. Has anxiety and depression. Has a pierced dick (8 gold rings)
- Philippos: Mare of Diomedes. Hates humans. Smells and taste like what you desire most (aka cupcakes)
- Ladon: Dragon. Can impregnate you with an actual egg
- Geryon: Giant. His dick has a knot and he can sprout 6 hands
- Orthrus: Two headed hellhound also with two dicks
- Cerberus: a literal Cerberus with three heads and three other “heads” lol. He also has muscle-relaxing saliva
The 5 men we met in book 1:
- Ambrose: Nemean Lion, has fangs, his dick has barbs
- Timyn: Hydra, has nine tongues and scales. Can create self lubrication and has spurs that lock for breeding
- Krysos: The Golden Hind with the golden dick. Always has antlers
- Julius: The Erymanthian Boar who is a grumpy teddy bear. He has tufts and two dicks
- Vann: Kraken, had tentacles and a tentacle dick that also has a hook for breeding and can create self lubrication
It was kind of weird that this book had more men (and more 1st meetings than the last book) in it but I found it less spicy. It still had CRAZY scenes and very unique cocks, but everything was always over so quickly.
I think that reiterates what I was thinking in the first book, everything was happening at lightening speed and I felt like I didn’t get to enjoy everything as much. There was SOOO much actual plot to fit into this relatively short book, but on top of that there was also Leila meeting her 7 new men and starting relationships with them, while also maintaining her relationships with the other 5 men, while we also got to see more of the seperate couples within the group… it was just a lot. I also cringe thinking about how she is now their “social media manager”
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
- MMMMMMMMMMMFMM
- Greek mythology
- Trapped on a mysterious cursed island
- Monster romance
- Fated mates
- Unique monster 🍆
- Breeding kink
- Lot of DP and also TP
- Lot of 💦
- Actual pregnancy in this book (at the very end)
- Mpreg (at the very end)
I love Timyn so much haha, he is 100% my favorite monster ho.
The 7 new men we meet in this book:
- Zephyr: Stymphalian Bird with an affinity for blood. Has a cock pocket and his dick is very very long and like a corkscrew
- Chamenos: Cretan Bull. He doesn’t have a human form, only his Minotaur form. Has anxiety and depression. Has a pierced dick (8 gold rings)
- Philippos: Mare of Diomedes. Hates humans. Smells and taste like what you desire most (aka cupcakes)
- Ladon: Dragon. Can impregnate you with an actual egg
- Geryon: Giant. His dick has a knot and he can sprout 6 hands
- Orthrus: Two headed hellhound also with two dicks
- Cerberus: a literal Cerberus with three heads and three other “heads” lol. He also has muscle-relaxing saliva
The 5 men we met in book 1:
- Ambrose: Nemean Lion, has fangs, his dick has barbs
- Timyn: Hydra, has nine tongues and scales. Can create self lubrication and has spurs that lock for breeding
- Krysos: The Golden Hind with the golden dick. Always has antlers
- Julius: The Erymanthian Boar who is a grumpy teddy bear. He has tufts and two dicks
- Vann: Kraken, had tentacles and a tentacle dick that also has a hook for breeding and can create self lubrication
It was kind of weird that this book had more men (and more 1st meetings than the last book) in it but I found it less spicy. It still had CRAZY scenes and very unique cocks, but everything was always over so quickly.
I think that reiterates what I was thinking in the first book, everything was happening at lightening speed and I felt like I didn’t get to enjoy everything as much. There was SOOO much actual plot to fit into this relatively short book, but on top of that there was also Leila meeting her 7 new men and starting relationships with them, while also maintaining her relationships with the other 5 men, while we also got to see more of the seperate couples within the group… it was just a lot. I also cringe thinking about how she is now their “social media manager”
September 1, 2022
4 Stars - with some caveats
I enjoyed this duet, it was almost exactly what I would have wanted. This is dirty monster porn with a slice of Greek mythology added in. The storyline is background noise compared to monster dick. It was awesome.
However…this is not a reverse harem. I don’t understand why authors think poly and RH are the same, they’re not. This female is absolutely NOT the center of a harem of men. This is closer to a MM romance than it is to a M/F romance.
For instance, Leia was never once the center of any group sex. Not even once. There was always another man who was in the middle of the sex sandwich. There was a lot of MM sex scenes, but there was only one instance where the FMC got one of her mates alone.
None of that would have bothered me too much if it didn’t feel like there was such a huge disparity in how the males valued their relationships with the other guys versus how they valued their female mate. Each of the men were mated to each other, so all the guys were paired off. It felt like the men were desperate for each other and Leia was someone nice to have, but not essential like their male lovers were.
What really really made me a bit sick and ready to DNF this book is how they treated the idea of FMC being a vessel for their monster spawn. They literally didn’t care WHO was carrying that dragon egg. She was just the vessel. And when the dragon found out she wasn’t ready for the egg yet, he wouldn’t even have sex with her… cause why would he, if he isn’t depositing his egg in her then why bother having sex with the female? And to find out that her DNA wasn’t even used, it was only the DNA from the guys…it made me feel dirty and used for Leia.
Anyway, in book one it felt like the male monsters valued Leia as their mate the same as the other males. In book two I felt like Leia disposable was a side piece. I didn’t like it. So while I enjoyed the book, I’ll never be reading this series again.
I enjoyed this duet, it was almost exactly what I would have wanted. This is dirty monster porn with a slice of Greek mythology added in. The storyline is background noise compared to monster dick. It was awesome.
However…this is not a reverse harem. I don’t understand why authors think poly and RH are the same, they’re not. This female is absolutely NOT the center of a harem of men. This is closer to a MM romance than it is to a M/F romance.
For instance, Leia was never once the center of any group sex. Not even once. There was always another man who was in the middle of the sex sandwich. There was a lot of MM sex scenes, but there was only one instance where the FMC got one of her mates alone.
None of that would have bothered me too much if it didn’t feel like there was such a huge disparity in how the males valued their relationships with the other guys versus how they valued their female mate. Each of the men were mated to each other, so all the guys were paired off. It felt like the men were desperate for each other and Leia was someone nice to have, but not essential like their male lovers were.
What really really made me a bit sick and ready to DNF this book is how they treated the idea of FMC being a vessel for their monster spawn. They literally didn’t care WHO was carrying that dragon egg. She was just the vessel. And when the dragon found out she wasn’t ready for the egg yet, he wouldn’t even have sex with her… cause why would he, if he isn’t depositing his egg in her then why bother having sex with the female? And to find out that her DNA wasn’t even used, it was only the DNA from the guys…it made me feel dirty and used for Leia.
Anyway, in book one it felt like the male monsters valued Leia as their mate the same as the other males. In book two I felt like Leia disposable was a side piece. I didn’t like it. So while I enjoyed the book, I’ll never be reading this series again.
August 27, 2022
(Arc review) Ma’am C. Rochelle enjoys throwing us from a cliff with a foot on our chest in “this is spartaaaa” style. So it’s always pretty good when she gets us out of there. 😂
In this book, Leia is still exploring the magical island in which she’s stuck and meeting all the monsters that are now her mates - and trying to find a way to set them free.
This is probably the most different harem I’ve ever read. First of all, it’s a retelling from the 12 labors of Hercules, and Leia’s labors are specifically reuniting her monsters, so the harem is progressively put together over the 2 books.
And, of course, they are 12 monsters. TWELVE. He have monsters with all kinds of equipment (or equipments) that you can think of. And they also have their own relationships and mates among themselves (there’s no straight man in this island, god bless them).
And they are there for ages, literally, so they don’t know anything about the modern civilization and most of them have never been with a human woman. The result is some hilariously adorable moments - like when they find out what contraceptives are LMAO.
This book has an absolutely chaotic energy that makes you laugh out loud during 90% of the time. Leia is a proud ho, absolutely funny and incapable of a somber thought - just like her bestie Iola.
The rest of the time, it makes you produce bodily fluids. I’m not gonna lie, it gets a little fast at times - not only because we have 13 people doing their activities, but because C. really likes her stories to have plot. This book is a hero journey, just like the myths that inspired it.
C. is different from everything you’ve read before, so get to know her work!
In this book, Leia is still exploring the magical island in which she’s stuck and meeting all the monsters that are now her mates - and trying to find a way to set them free.
This is probably the most different harem I’ve ever read. First of all, it’s a retelling from the 12 labors of Hercules, and Leia’s labors are specifically reuniting her monsters, so the harem is progressively put together over the 2 books.
And, of course, they are 12 monsters. TWELVE. He have monsters with all kinds of equipment (or equipments) that you can think of. And they also have their own relationships and mates among themselves (there’s no straight man in this island, god bless them).
And they are there for ages, literally, so they don’t know anything about the modern civilization and most of them have never been with a human woman. The result is some hilariously adorable moments - like when they find out what contraceptives are LMAO.
This book has an absolutely chaotic energy that makes you laugh out loud during 90% of the time. Leia is a proud ho, absolutely funny and incapable of a somber thought - just like her bestie Iola.
The rest of the time, it makes you produce bodily fluids. I’m not gonna lie, it gets a little fast at times - not only because we have 13 people doing their activities, but because C. really likes her stories to have plot. This book is a hero journey, just like the myths that inspired it.
C. is different from everything you’ve read before, so get to know her work!
September 6, 2022
Monstrously captivating!
Herculeia the Hero: A Monstrously Mythic Romance by C. Rochelle is a spicy non stop thrill of a ride and the perfect continuation of Leia and her men! Full of delicious steamy scenes, secrets and surprises and of course a few twists along the way this is a definite must read!
This story picks up with Leia and her men embarking on a journey seeking answers and the truth—and of course things can never be easy and they soon find themselves working together to save each other, leaving their lives if solitude behind.
C. Rochelle is a master at developing a world you never want to leave with characters that pull you right in and relationships that are so beautifully dynamic you can’t help but fall in love right alongside the characters. Leia and her mates are utter perfection and the connection between them all make this story everything it needed to be and more! And let’s just say that this story truly brought the heat with monster peen, tentacles, some deciduous MM scenes and kinks galore! 🥵
Overall if you love a fabulous medium to dark monster rom-com that’s loosely based on the greek mythology that’s full of hit possessive alpha males/monsters and tons of steamy, spicy hot smexy, smutty scenes and non stop action and humor then this duet is the one for you!
Herculeia the Hero: A Monstrously Mythic Romance by C. Rochelle is a spicy non stop thrill of a ride and the perfect continuation of Leia and her men! Full of delicious steamy scenes, secrets and surprises and of course a few twists along the way this is a definite must read!
This story picks up with Leia and her men embarking on a journey seeking answers and the truth—and of course things can never be easy and they soon find themselves working together to save each other, leaving their lives if solitude behind.
C. Rochelle is a master at developing a world you never want to leave with characters that pull you right in and relationships that are so beautifully dynamic you can’t help but fall in love right alongside the characters. Leia and her mates are utter perfection and the connection between them all make this story everything it needed to be and more! And let’s just say that this story truly brought the heat with monster peen, tentacles, some deciduous MM scenes and kinks galore! 🥵
Overall if you love a fabulous medium to dark monster rom-com that’s loosely based on the greek mythology that’s full of hit possessive alpha males/monsters and tons of steamy, spicy hot smexy, smutty scenes and non stop action and humor then this duet is the one for you!
September 13, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
🌶🌶🌶/5
TW’s: Gore; Murder; Familial Betrayal
Kinks: (tentacle)Asphyxiation; Blood Play; Multi Penetration; Biting; Monster Parts; Breeding; Praise/Degradation; Voyeurism; Exhibitionism; Edgeplay; Primal
Tropes:
Monster Romance
Reverse Harem
Overly Protective Possessives (slightly psychotic) Mates
LOTS of Fun Monster Parts
2nd in a Duet
HEA
Mother. Fucking. Monster. Ho!!!! That’s what this book has turned me into. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely enjoyed some monster peen before this, but holy hell. C Rochelle sure knows how to write some panty melting monster smut.
Twists, turns, and mate after mate found. This book really had me on my toes. It was so fun to see the guys reconnect with each other and see who had previous relationships with who. The separate relationships between the guys was such a nice touch. This book was more plot heavy, and focused mainly on the twists and turns in the plot. However there were still plenty of spicy scenes with Leia and her beasts.
I do wish we got a little more of her last couple mates, given that they only show up in the last few chapters. But, with the hopes of Iola getting her own book, I also hope we see more of Leia and the monsters.
Thank you so much to C. Rochelle for letting me read this as an ARC!
🌶🌶🌶/5
TW’s: Gore; Murder; Familial Betrayal
Kinks: (tentacle)Asphyxiation; Blood Play; Multi Penetration; Biting; Monster Parts; Breeding; Praise/Degradation; Voyeurism; Exhibitionism; Edgeplay; Primal
Tropes:
Monster Romance
Reverse Harem
Overly Protective Possessives (slightly psychotic) Mates
LOTS of Fun Monster Parts
2nd in a Duet
HEA
Mother. Fucking. Monster. Ho!!!! That’s what this book has turned me into. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely enjoyed some monster peen before this, but holy hell. C Rochelle sure knows how to write some panty melting monster smut.
Twists, turns, and mate after mate found. This book really had me on my toes. It was so fun to see the guys reconnect with each other and see who had previous relationships with who. The separate relationships between the guys was such a nice touch. This book was more plot heavy, and focused mainly on the twists and turns in the plot. However there were still plenty of spicy scenes with Leia and her beasts.
I do wish we got a little more of her last couple mates, given that they only show up in the last few chapters. But, with the hopes of Iola getting her own book, I also hope we see more of Leia and the monsters.
Thank you so much to C. Rochelle for letting me read this as an ARC!
August 31, 2022
Nooooo...I can't believe it! We made it to the end of this duet, but let me tell you it is DEFINITELY well worth the read (and future reread)! If you haven't already started this series, you need to START IT NOWWW! Leia is one of my favorite C. Rochelle FMCs up to date! I swear, she had me laughing sooo hard. Every time you read a C.Rochelle story, you expect a lot of steam, but this one...lord have mercy, is next level Hoooot!! Not only does she have 12 hunks, she has 12 hunks with unique equipment...if you know what I mean. If you are into monster/shifter smüt,RH, weird monster pęęñs, hilarious/laugh out loud, loosely based mythology, than I highly recommend this the series for you.
September 25, 2022
Another wild ride as the story continues and I loved it.
Just so you know this monster smut is not for the faint-hearted and you can tell with my updates and review on the first this was actually my first book into monster smut and I literally was freaking out.
The greek mythology was just on point down to every detail and the retelling of it. The spice was very hot and creative as I loved to know how the author came up with certain scenes.
Loved Leia and her monsters they each all have soft spot for and don't forget how ridiculously handsome they all were.
Am I a monster lover convert? possibly but I do need a couple of human palette cleansers before I get back out there. I mean if I could handle 12 in these books one should be a piece of cake right?
Amazing book fun, plot twists, engaging all the right ingredients.
Just so you know this monster smut is not for the faint-hearted and you can tell with my updates and review on the first this was actually my first book into monster smut and I literally was freaking out.
The greek mythology was just on point down to every detail and the retelling of it. The spice was very hot and creative as I loved to know how the author came up with certain scenes.
Loved Leia and her monsters they each all have soft spot for and don't forget how ridiculously handsome they all were.
Am I a monster lover convert? possibly but I do need a couple of human palette cleansers before I get back out there. I mean if I could handle 12 in these books one should be a piece of cake right?
Amazing book fun, plot twists, engaging all the right ingredients.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2022
Corinne has killed it with this duet!
Herculeia the Hero kicks off where 12 Hunks ended and this story gripped me from the get go.
This is a monstrous book for more than one reason 😜
Absolutely love how Corinne gives us some hot smut, with a gripping plot & amazing twists in this duet. I already knew going into this book that it was gonna be a wild ride! The horse jokes, the fancy appendages, the smushy romance! It had it all.
I can honestly say I didn’t see parts of this story coming & it made the last 20% of the book absolutely phenomenal!!
Cannot wait to see more of Leia & her men, plus Iola & her tribe in the next of this world!
Herculeia the Hero kicks off where 12 Hunks ended and this story gripped me from the get go.
This is a monstrous book for more than one reason 😜
Absolutely love how Corinne gives us some hot smut, with a gripping plot & amazing twists in this duet. I already knew going into this book that it was gonna be a wild ride! The horse jokes, the fancy appendages, the smushy romance! It had it all.
I can honestly say I didn’t see parts of this story coming & it made the last 20% of the book absolutely phenomenal!!
Cannot wait to see more of Leia & her men, plus Iola & her tribe in the next of this world!
February 17, 2025
Honestly one of the worst books Ive read (and that says a lot). Extremely far-fetched and cringe worthy plot in addition to very mediocre smut. If you think part 1 was bad, I can tell you it doesnt get any better in the second book.
September 12, 2022
YASssssss
Please read this series!
4.5⭐️ 4/5🌶
I love love love this series!!! So funny, smutty and just makes me sad that it’s over!
Give me more monsters stat! 🍆🍆🥵💦⚔️
Please read this series!
4.5⭐️ 4/5🌶
I love love love this series!!! So funny, smutty and just makes me sad that it’s over!
Give me more monsters stat! 🍆🍆🥵💦⚔️
September 27, 2022
I loved this book. Leia’s men are all amazing, also funny. And the smut was so good. I can’t wait for Lola’s book
August 29, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
🎧🎧🎧🎧
BR with my girl Cass!
RTC
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
🎧🎧🎧🎧
BR with my girl Cass!
RTC
April 13, 2024
Loved the ending to this duet. Leia is amazing as she works toward the freedom of her mates. Soo much happens in this book and a lot of surprise twists to the plot. Best ending to their story.
October 5, 2023
Romance:
August 29, 2022
Picks up right where it left off! Loved reading this duet.
Funny and spicy mixed with some angsty heart squeezes.
Leia starts to realize that where she belongs is with her mates….and she has to collect them all (insert Pokémon theme). 😏
The relationships between the guys that had some previous foundation continues to grow and settle.
Leia and her mates see that their strength comes from each other and that’s what they have to use to take down their enemies.
Funny and spicy mixed with some angsty heart squeezes.
Leia starts to realize that where she belongs is with her mates….and she has to collect them all (insert Pokémon theme). 😏
The relationships between the guys that had some previous foundation continues to grow and settle.
Leia and her mates see that their strength comes from each other and that’s what they have to use to take down their enemies.
November 10, 2022
The continuation of Herculeia story is hotter than ever. She continues in her mission to save the twelve monsters that Hercules slayed in his labours, and each encounter is 🔥🔥🔥. This story is fast-burn, and Herculeia has a lot of monsters to love, so there are also a lot of extra appendices. Can't wait to read the story of Herculeia's sister finding her own monster harem.
September 1, 2022
4.9 stars.
I loved this duet so much.
The humor, the sex, the acceptance and growth, all of the relationships within the group, it was so good.
Anytime there was something in italics I knew I was gonna giggle like an absolute loon. Leia’s thoughts were a complete riot.
The sex was fantastic and often, which I loved. Plus it was monstrous and full of kinky fun.
My only complaint is that with the way things worked out we didn’t end up getting much time with the last four monsters. The bonus scene that you have to follow a link to helped a little but I was still missing out on some quality time with her dragon mate.🥺
Otherwise, I thought it was really fun and interesting and totally smuttastic, and I loved it.
I can’t wait to see Iola get her own monsters.
I loved this duet so much.
The humor, the sex, the acceptance and growth, all of the relationships within the group, it was so good.
Anytime there was something in italics I knew I was gonna giggle like an absolute loon. Leia’s thoughts were a complete riot.
The sex was fantastic and often, which I loved. Plus it was monstrous and full of kinky fun.
My only complaint is that with the way things worked out we didn’t end up getting much time with the last four monsters. The bonus scene that you have to follow a link to helped a little but I was still missing out on some quality time with her dragon mate.🥺
Otherwise, I thought it was really fun and interesting and totally smuttastic, and I loved it.
I can’t wait to see Iola get her own monsters.
September 18, 2022
I feel like I read a completely different book to everyone else. The reviews gave me hope but I was left sorely disappointed 😅 the storyline just had me bored and I ended up speed reading a lot of it. There was so much build up to anticlimactic situations, and I'm sorry but what was that ending? We didn't even get to see vengeance on Eurystheus?! Apparently being told that repetitive nut punches was the right punishment and leave it at that? OK.
Again, if you're looking for just monster smut (and not caring about the logistics of that size monster peen into small human "vajay" without any issues) then its fine. But the dialogue just like book 1 was very juvenile and I loathe when they talk like they're on social media all the time. No one goes around calling each other "Bish" my eyes hurt from rolling.
This is 2 for 2 on disliking this authors works so unfortunately I won't be checking out anything else from them. But thats fine, everyone likes different things but this writing just isn't for me.
Again, if you're looking for just monster smut (and not caring about the logistics of that size monster peen into small human "vajay" without any issues) then its fine. But the dialogue just like book 1 was very juvenile and I loathe when they talk like they're on social media all the time. No one goes around calling each other "Bish" my eyes hurt from rolling.
This is 2 for 2 on disliking this authors works so unfortunately I won't be checking out anything else from them. But thats fine, everyone likes different things but this writing just isn't for me.
April 20, 2023
Questions were answered.
Harem complete.
All the things I loved about book one are continued here!
Read it. Now.
Harem complete.
All the things I loved about book one are continued here!
Read it. Now.
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