Book Review 📚
The Mistress and The Renowned by Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune - 4.5/5 ⭐

Eurgh! Just why?! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO END! I think I could take this book and reread it, everyday for the rest of my life. I have read ALOT of Hades and Persephone retellings but this one really grabbed my attention.

There's romance, smut and fantasy. A mix of all the good things you so desperate want in a book. I've been obsessed with Hades for years and this book has only helped to grow that infatuation. IT'S SO GOOD!

I love the modern take on the retelling the most, the way the authors have taken a mythological couple and dragged them into the modern day world is truly amazing. I can't credit the authors enough for not only managing that but to have so much detail and descriptive writing throughout.

You will not want to miss this one. Thank you to NetGalley and Rose and Star for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

I really like the cover of the book and the blurb had me intrested! I'm a fan of mythology and retellings so this book is right up my alley. But I have to say that there are better ones out there.
I think this book is ok overall. The writing and storyline were enough to keep me intereseted and not dnf it but not good enough to be all over the place. I also didn't enjoy the problem solving and miscommunication in the book. It has a huge cliffhanger in the end, which I kind of like!

i love me a good Hades and Persephone retelling!!! this was a 4 star for me. OMG this book WOW. i love the spice BUT THAT CLIFFY???? ughhhh

In this whimsical retelling of Hades and Persephone, the God of the Dead finds himself ensnared in an unexpected twist. Trapped in the underworld, Hades battles roots feeding off his power while yearning for unattainable desires. Meanwhile, Persephone, the unwilling new Queen of the Dead, awaits the god responsible for her predicament, enduring a suspenseful wait.

The book is an enjoyable, light, and smutty fantasy, praising it as a hit among Hades/Persephone retellings. The characters are deemed easy to understand, and the author is commended for their storytelling.

While the narrative explores the journey of the separated couple, facing insecurities and sacrifices, it may appeal more to those seeking a lighter, steamy fantasy rather than those craving a more intricate and emotionally charged tale. Overall, it offers a playful twist on the classic Hades and Persephone myth, making it a recommendable read.

Thank you NetGalley and Thank you Rose & Star, Jeanette, and Alexis for the ARC.

The Mistress & The Renowned is the second book in the series. It starts from where the book 1 let off.

This is a modern, erotic retelling for Hades and Persephone. Persephone became the queen of the Underworld and Hades is nowhere to be found. I love Persephone's exploration of the underworld while working to save her king. I love Hades and his emotions and vulnerability despite being one of the powerful Gods.

Warning: This is a cliffhanger. 😅

TW - PTSD, child abuse (past, physical and emotional), torture, violence

I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley.

After reading the first book in the series I was looking forward to this book and it did not disappoint. I was already enjoying the Hades and Persephone retellings and this was just as good as the others. In this book it continues with the typical plot points of their relationship however it has its own spin on how things work out. we ended The Maiden & The Unseen we Hades trapped and Persephone being transported to the underworld and having to go on a journey to find her own place in the underworld as queen and as well as hunt for her trapped king Hades.

It flopped a bit on the smut side for me personally there was definitely not as much of it compared to the first book but made up for it in action and fights to save each other and the underworld.

Looking forward to reading the next book in the series though

I love Persephone and Hades retellings, so this was right up my alley! I had some issues with the writing being choppy here and there, and I need people to find their braincells quicker sometimes, but in the end, I enjoyed myself. I hoooope Persephone gets better at communicating though, hahaha!

Another good book by these authors. I am looking forward to the next one. I was wary about reading this book as other reviews said it was dramatically different from the first, but I disagree. It is very much a continuation of the first book, but with more substance and action. Bring on the next book - I want to see Demeter get her arse kicked!

This was my first read by these authors and I have to say that they did not disappoint! I was drawing in and hooked from the very beginning!

I didn't realise when I requested this that it was the second in a series, which is my own fault, but I'm sure I would have had ana easier time getting into the book if I had read them in order. However, I always love a Hades and Persephone retelling and was not disappointed by this one. I really enjoyed the sweet side of this book combined with the more spicy elements, My biggest hang up is the use of the miscommunication trope, which i personally am not a fan of. Other than that this was a fun read, I enjoyed the world building and takes on the classic characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for providing this ebook in exchange for an honest review!

This was a very enjoyable light smutty fantasy type book, it was very cute!
I have always loved Hades/Persephone retellings, and some are a miss BUT this one was definitely a hit!! Absolutely would recommend!!!!

I will start with saying that I enjoyed reading the first book and the cliffhanger was great to build my anticipation for this one. I'm instantly enjoying my time with this story for Hades & Persephone, Greek mythology is just intriguing.

Thank you so much for the arc. I will say I picked this one up purely because of the publisher. But I have to say I'm a little burnt out on all the hades and persephone retellings. I also want something fresh and a new take on it. I think this one was fine. The writing felt a bit choppy. I am not a fan of the miscommunication trope which here persephone refused to communicate. I did enjoy hades' character though which saved it for me. The ending is a cliffhanger which can drive me a little batty but I don't mind cliff hangers as much. Overall - for anyone obsessed with modern retellings of hades and persephone I think they would thoroughly enjoy it.

I’ll be honest and say that I didn’t go into this book with high hopes. I didn’t really enjoy the first book, but the smut was good, and the cliffhanger had me intrigued. As I started this book, I was actually thinking it was a bit better than book one until it all went downhill. The characters kept reminding us of the “drama” because there wasn’t a single thing happening. At least 125 pages could be removed, and the book would actually improve in quality. Sure fine build the tension however you need to, but I draw the line at needless miscommunication. Did I finish it? Barely! And the smut was actually subpar. The only saving grace was Berry and the sparring between Zeus and Persephone, but not enough for me to continue.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I rated this 3.5 stars out of 5. This is mostly for the world building. I bought the first book and read that before this one and was hoping the series would get better. The first book was good until the dreaded "glamour" part, and also there was so many unnecessary sex scenes, like they will have just had sex and because he didn't finish in her she would get him to have sex again in order to resolve this, which he wouldn't finish in her again and she'd get mega upset about it. I kinda wish the curse wasn't that he needed to finish in her to activate it. BUT onto the second book, if you are wanting more world building and a tiny bit more plot, you will get that in this book. This is not the best HadesxPersephone retelling series, but it does the job if you like smut with little plot (first book), if you want more world building and details on Hades Castle etc you will like this one more. Might carry on with the series but not too sure sadly.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC and thank you Jeanette and Alexis!

This book was too heavy for me. TW's of child abuse and violence did not help me to enjoy the book either.
While I love Greek mythology, and all things Hades and Persephone retellings, this book was just okay for me. I wouldn't recommend it without some hesitation.

I enjoyed this book, it was a great read for me.. This was a different genre for my and I loved it. The characters were easy to understand and the author did a great job

Unfortunately this book just wasn’t really my thing. I found the writing choppy, lots of swearing that wasn’t necessary and the storyline was just … no. I picked it up on a whim and I didn’t like it

This ARC completely blew me away. Personally I didn't realize how invested I would be with this version of Hades and Persephone. I hate that I knew what the plot twist was ahead of time from accidently reading a spoiler, but if I didn't I can't imagine how I would feel reading the last 20 pages. There was so much angst and the miscommunication on Hades's end was infuriating. Personally, I loved Mellie and Helios so much. They need their own book. PERIOD. I loved the ride of this book and can't wait to get my hands on the 3rd book!

Who doesn’t love a smutty retelling of Hades and Persephone?! This is the second book in the Love and Fate series. We pick up right where we left off in the first book. Persephone has finally made it to the Underworld and has accepted her role as Queen. Her and Hades are trying to navigate their new dynamic in the Underworld while also battling their past traumas. When things start to go wrong in the Underworld, Hades and Persephone must put their nightmares aside and face the unknown threat to their kingdom.

I loved Hades in this book. Even as the almighty God of the Underworld, he was vulnerable and always expressed his feelings for Persephone. There was never any doubt of the depth of his feelings for Persephone and that he would do anything for her. Seeing them living together in the Underworld was heartwarming. There’s nothing sexier than a strong MMC realizing he is only stronger with the woman he loves by his side!

I had a little trouble connecting with Persephone. I know she went through traumatic events, but it felt very juvenile that she would not communicate with Hades. She avoided discussing her feelings with him for most of the book but when they finally did talk, it was resolved very quickly. I would’ve rather that happened earlier in the story and saw more healthy interactions between the two characters. I did love how much of a role she played in the attack on the Underworld. She proved that she truly is the Queen.

I was very interested in the plot towards the end of the book and that cliffhanger definitely has me looking forward to the next book. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!