We Are the Match by Mary E. Roach is a sapphic mafia retelling of Helen of Troy. Enemies-to-lovers, forbidden love, and high stakes make this book a thrilling and spicy good time.

netgalley review*

If I being honest I don't have much to say about it. It was an enjoyable book for what it is. Its very loosely based of the Helen of troy. A lot of things that happen is a little unrealistic and for the type of story it was it felt a little too modern I think the setting should have been changed.

I was really excited about the premise of this book, but it didn't work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Spice Level: 2/5 Open Door

Ten years ago, Paris lost her sisters in a devastating bombing and fire, an attack orchestrated by the powerful Zarek. Now, driven by vengeance, she sets her sights on the one person Zarek holds most dear: his daughter, Helen.

Helen’s life is shattered, literally, when a bomb rips through her engagement party. Unbeknownst to her, the very woman who came to end her life ends up saving it. Thrown together by explosive circumstances, Helen and Paris are forced into an uneasy alliance to uncover who was really behind the attack. What begins as a mission of vengeance evolves into something far more complicated as the two women find themselves navigating dangerous ground, emotionally and physically.

I received this Audiobook via NetGalley, the Author, and Brilliance Audio. This sapphic retelling of Helen of Troy was a fascinating experience, even with my limited knowledge of Greek mythology. In Greek Mythology, Helen of Troy is known as being the face that launched 1,000 ships. I waited with bated breath to see if it would be worked into the story and I wasn’t disappointed. The story seamlessly blends action and romance, injecting modern urgency into a timeless myth.

However, the audiobook narration fell a bit flat for me. The pacing felt slow at times, which made it difficult to stay engaged. Additionally, the narrators’ voices were too similar, making it hard to distinguish between characters and track whose perspective I was hearing. While the story itself held my interest, the performance didn’t quite meet the mark.

💣 Enemies to Lovers
💣 Forbidden Love
💣 Sapphic Romance
💣 Modern Greek Mythological Retelling
💣 Mob Families
💣 Slow Burn
💣 Dark Mafia Romance

This book is a wild ride—bold, messy, and somehow totally addictive. At its core, it’s a lesbian mafia romance set in a kind of ancient Greece-inspired world, and honestly, it’s the kind of story that makes no sense in the best way. The premise grabbed me right away, but I’ll admit the world-building isn’t its strongest suit. It’s a bit all over the place—characters from the Iliad, talking like they're in a period drama with a strange timeless vibe, which made mentioning things like phones or cars feel totally out of place but oddly charming. Think of it as an iPhone face in a period piece, weird but no harm done.
The love story between Helen and Paris is insta-lovey, but the chemistry between these two is so electric it didn’t bother me. Mary E. Roach definitely knows how to write convincing, sizzling chemistry—there’s that one scene where Helen, covered in blood, refers to Paris as "your wife," and honestly, it’s worth the entire book for that moment alone. It’s dark, intense, and everything good dark romance should be.
The story is full of drama—families, power struggles, threats of war, and a love-in-the-middle-of-it-all that makes everything messy and complicated in the best way. The rich setting and fancy lifestyle add a fun twist, but really, it’s about two women finding something real amidst lies and danger. It kept me guessing, even when the plot felt a little deus ex machina at times, which is common in mafia stories but didn’t detract too much from the overall fun.
Overall, it’s a quick, wild, and a bit chaotic read—perfect if you’re into darker themes, love a messy romance, and don’t mind some trigger warnings. Definitely recommend for those looking for something different and daring!

The premise of this one was so promising! Helen of Tory retelling but make it sapphic and mafia? I was so excited!

I found the mafia and world building to be really confusing. On top of that, the plot was really convoluted. I had a bit of trouble following what was happening and seeing where it was going.

That being said, the chemistry Paris and Helen leapt off the pages. Whenever they were interacting I was giddy and excited to see what was happening. It is an insta-lust enemies to lovers but their dynamic was my favorite part.

"In this glittering, sapphic reimagining of Helen of Troy set in modern day mobster Greece, Helen is the daughter of a powerful crime lord and Paris is the woman hellbent on destroying her—if they don’t fall for each other first."

I have mixed feelings on this one. The premise really intrigued me but I didn't feel the book delivered. I didn't feel like the world building was well done. The character development was also pretty light. It definitely seemed to rely on the reader knowing the original story well, which I do not. I did like the writing style and felt it was well written, just didn't draw me in.

Tropes
* Greek myth retelling
* Mafia undertones
* Insta-love
* FF romance

2 stars

We Are the Match by Mary E. Roach delivers a bold, Sapphic reimagining of the classic Helen of Troy myth, fusing romance, danger, and mythology into a gritty modern-day mob drama. In this inventive retelling, Helen—now Troy—is a fierce member of a powerful Greek mob family, while Paris is a woman determined to bring that empire crashing down.

The chemistry between Troy and Paris is electric from the start, filled with tension, fire, and undeniable magnetism. Their connection is as passionate as it is dangerous, and Roach does a fantastic job of showing their strength—not just in their love, but in their brutal determination and unwavering loyalty to their beliefs.

Savage, sultry, and smart, this novel is more than just a romance; it’s a story of power, vengeance, and forbidden desire. Roach brings a fresh voice to Sapphic fiction with characters who are both unapologetically tough and emotionally complex. We Are the Match is a must-read for fans of Sapphic love stories who crave intensity, mythic influence, and a fierce, modern edge.

We Are the Match is a sapphic retelling of Helen of Troy with a mafia twist, set in a modern world. Helen and Paris come from very different upbringings. They have different stories and perspectives on life. Paris seeks revenge for what Helen's family has done, while Helen yearns to escape.

The concept in itself was interesting, the execution, on the other hand, wasn't what I was expecting. The writing style was ok, but felt a bit juvenile for a mafia romance. I couldn't really connect with the characters; I felt like they needed a bit more depth, and the romance part felt lacking. There was tension, but at the same time, I felt something was missing; it was very lusty without enough romantic connection.

The narration was good, I felt they embodied the characters very well, so no complaints there.

Overall, it was an entertaining read, and I would recommend it if you like retellings, sapphic romance, and mafia.

Thank you, Netgalley and Brilliance Audio, for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Brilliance Publishing for a copy of this ALC.

I enjoyed this book! I’m a big fan of darker sapphic romances, so I was really looking forward to reading this by the genre alone and also because I liked the authors previous YA novel.

I didn’t know it was a reimagining at first and I wasn’t sure what to expect since I never got into Greek mythology. But I truly don’t think my lack of prior knowledge negatively impacted my appreciation of this story one bit. I understood both characters and their motivations. I liked their respective arcs and the way they grew together. I really felt for Helen and all she’s gone through.

Overall, I think lovers of dark sapphic romances should check this one out!

I listened to the audiobook and I really liked both narrators. I thought their voices/style complimented each other nicely. I definitely recommend the audiobook to anyone looking to read this book.

Helen and Paris are from different worlds but both of violence and destruction. Can they overcome it all to be together through betrayals and arranged marriages and bids for freedom?

I really wanted to love this. I’m always looking for more great sapphic romances and dark romance isn’t very saturated with sapphic representation but this one just felt like a weird combination of disjointed and predictable at the same time. Everyone is an orphan master bomb maker and everyone has a secret identity and a vengeance. Very reminiscent of the Dark Olympus series but more gore and less character development. Good spice but the rest was just kind of meh.

Super fun to listen to, made me irritated in all the best ways a book can irritate you! I would have to say my one main issue, and this is incredibly niche to possibly just me, but both of the narrators sounded so very very similar to me that there were a couple of instances of me forgetting which POV I was listening to, but I was also listening to it at 1.75 speed because if I listen to normal speed my brain tends to zone out, and that’s not on the audiobook, that’s on my dysfunctional brain.

3.5⭐ (rounded down)

Truthfully, I wasn't aware this book was a dark romance until after the fact. It's not a genre I'm particularly familiar with but the romance seemed particularly tame; stellar chemistry and sexual tension, but the friction was one-sided and there was only a single full sex scene that felt lackluster in comparison to the foreplay scenes.

The writing was beautiful, as was the narration, and so enjoyable to listen to. Helen and Paris are both interesting and complex characters, with Helen being utterly charming that it's very easy to fall in love with her.

It's very character/plot focused with the world-building and lore taking a backseat... this including both the mafia and Greek mythology aspects. The names are there, and we know that these are mafia families, but the details don't go much further than that.

It was a fun read (or listen) and I'd rate it 5 stars if basing it just by the sapphic romance alone.

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

okay so to start off, i do not read books in this genre expecting incredible writing, so my expectations were already fairly low. Therefore, We Are The Match did meet my expectations in all ways except there was significantly less sex than I expected. This was flirty and combative in a very enjoyable way however!

rep: bisexual LI, queer MC

spice: one vivid sex scene, one kink scene without sex

tw: mutilation, murder, explosions, bombs

3.5 Stars (Rounded down on Goodreads) A Greek Mythology modern retelling, mixed with a sapphic mafia romance, made this a very interesting read! It pulled from the story Helen of Troy and really brought a uniqueness to the story. I think the characters all had their distinct personalities and were written really well.

There were a few things that personal weren’t doing it for me. The main one being that the romance honestly felt lacking. It was an instant love/obsession, and my biggest issue was that despite how obsessed they were, one of them was still sleeping with other people. Sleeping with others almost until the end of the book, so it kind of diminished the romance for me.

My other issue, was the constant reminder that these mafia bosses are seen as ‘Gods’. It felt like it was trying to force the retelling/Greek Mythology when it didn’t need to.

This was still an entertaining read and was great to see a Sapphic Mafia Romance!

Thank you to Amazon Publishing, Brilliance, and NetGalley for both a physical and audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My first sapphic (audio)book. And I truly enjoyed it, although a bit more gruesome than I originally thought it would be. Loved the tension within the storyline - the choices the characters made as well as the romantic/sexual tension.

I loved this book. There were some plot holes at times and some of it felt unbelievable but honestly I didn’t care because the writing was beautiful, the dialogue was aching and poignant and the saaphic love was everything