Neon Gods (Dark Olympus, #1) by Katee Robert🎧 Narrated by Zara Hampton-Brown & Alex Moorcock

Synopsis (via Goodreads): He was supposed to be a myth.
But from the moment I crossed the River Styx and fell under his dark spell... he was, quite simply, mine.

Society darling Persephone Dimitriou plans to flee the ultra-modern city of Olympus and start over far from the backstabbing politics of the Thirteen Houses. But all that’s ripped away when her mother ambushes her with an engagement to Zeus, the dangerous power behind their glittering city’s dark facade.

With no options left, Persephone flees to the forbidden undercity and makes a devil’s bargain with a man she once believed a myth... a man who awakens her to a world she never knew existed.

Hades has spent his life in the shadows, and he has no intention of stepping into the light. But when he finds that Persephone can offer a little slice of the revenge he’s spent years craving, it’s all the excuse he needs to help her—for a price. Yet every breathless night spent tangled together has given Hades a taste for Persephone, and he’ll go to war with Olympus itself to keep her close…

A modern retelling of Hades and Persephone that’s as sinful as it is sweet.

Neon Gods was ridiculously spicy! I can't remember the last time I was so turned on by a book. Hades was mouthwateringly hot, and Persephone was his equal in every way. She might not have been familiar with his particular tastes at the start of the book, but she was an enthusiastic participant. She managed to seduce the "Boogeyman" simply by being herself around him, and he was all too happy to act out her darkest fantasies. 

Normally, a gruff and overprotective love interest irks me, but it really worked for this book. I enjoyed how Hades put Persephone's needs before his own, and how he would periodically pick her up and carry her around. He was doing it to keep her from hurting herself, and I adored him for it. He may have been growly and rough around the edges, but it was always about consent for him. He always checked on how she was doing, asked her if she was sure about certain things, and even made judgement calls based on how she was acting. If she seemed nervous or tense, he dropped everything and immediately changed their plans to something she'd be more comfortable with.

I loved that they actually discussed condoms, being tested, birth control, etc. It was very realistic and responsible. I also liked that the author chose to use normal words like pussy and clit. Normally, books go to great lengths to make a person's body parts sound like anything other than what they are. There was no "bundle of nerves" or "long, hard shaft," but characters simply naming parts of themselves. 

The narrators were fantastic! Although, Alex Moorock? Really? I have a hard time believing that's his real name, which means he chose it for this profession. Dork.

My one issue with this book was it's believability. I wanted more clarity about the world they lived in, and how their namesakes played a role in the story. Apparently, the thirteen all took positions that are reflective of the Greek Gods we're familiar with, which means they were other people entirely before climbing the social ladder in Olympus. If that's the case, who were they before becoming the elite force that rules the city? The legacy titles are inherited, but they too had to have other names before Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon. Demeter wasn't always Demeter, so did she just conveniently have four daughters with the right names, or did Persephone and her sisters adopt new names when their mother moved up in the world? I really wish all of that had been explained a little more, and really think it would have helped my overall enjoyment of the book. 

Regardless, it's definitely a series I plan on continuing. I can't wait to see what Robert has in store for us next! (★★★★☆)