@XpressoTours, @ScarlettStClai1, #Adult, #Mythology, #Retelling, #Romance

 

Persephone is the Goddess of Spring by title only. The truth is, since she was a little girl, flowers have shriveled at her touch. After moving to New Athens, she hopes to lead an unassuming life disguised as a mortal journalist.

Hades, God of the Dead, has built a gambling empire in the mortal world and his favorite bets are rumored to be impossible.

After a chance encounter with Hades, Persephone finds herself in a contract with the God of the Dead and the terms are impossible: Persephone must create life in the Underworld or lose her freedom forever.

The bet does more than expose Persephone’s failure as a Goddess, however. As she struggles to sow the seeds of her freedom, love for the God of the Dead grows—and it’s forbidden.

 

* audiobook *

3.5 Stars.

For the most part, I enjoyed this more than book 1. Rurik was an intense character and knew from the first page that he was in love with Tasya. Tasya, scarred by a childhood tragedy, is focused on revenge and resists Rurik's attempts to extend their one night together into a deeper relationship. While it might have been nice to witness their early days or first night together, I didn't feel as if I was missing anything major by joining them mid-relationship. I did have a problem with some of the love scenes. At one point, I felt that Rurik forced the intimacy and it read more like rape than consensual sex.

I would have liked to seen more of Rurik's family and definitely more about Firebird. I'm definitely going to continue with the next book.

I was really hoping to like this book more than the first in the series. Unfortunately it seems like I had even more issues with this one that the last. It started off pretty good. Rurik and Tasya have a bit of history. We don't learn much about their history, unfortunately, except for the fact that they shared one scorching night in bed before Tasya ran off, frightened by her feelings for him. Rurik is understandably mad about the whole thing and wants to punish her by making her want him even more. Of course, they manage to run into each other again and things heat up. However, it seems that Tasya is hell bent on denying any attraction to him and he is set on punishing her by exerting control over her. She keeps saying no, even though we're supposed to think she doesn't mean it, and he keeps pushing her. The first "love" scene is a bit ridiculous as he starts in on her when she's sleeping and then she says no the entire way through while he "forces" orgasm after orgasm on her. And where did he get a vibrator on the train? Are we supposed to believe he picked that up when he went to the sundry shop? If he did, I want to book a trip on that train. Rurik says he loves her and wants her to trust him. But at the same time he admits to himself that he's going to have to betray her to get the icon. So why insist on her trust when you know it'll hurt her? When it happens it's sad but what Did Rurik really expect? Then he risks his life to save hers and she forgives him and realizes she loves him. That just didn't make much sense to me. There wasn't enough of a basis for this deep connection they were supposed to have to justify their actions. Unfortunately after having read this, I don't think I will continue on with the series. The characters are too contradictory and underdeveloped for my taste even though Dodd's world is a promising one. For me, it doesn't live up to its potential.

Summary:
Rurik Wilder thinks he has finally found what he has spent years looking for, the Icon that can save his family. According to all of his research as an archeologist it all points to this one grave site in Scotland. When treasure chest is found while he is back home in Washington, he rushes to the grave site, only to find it swarming with reporters and the Photo Journalist Tasya Hunnicutt… They shared one night of bliss, when she left him in the middle of the night while he was sleeping. Didn’t she know that she is His!?! Tasya is so close to getting the proof she needs that the Varinskis are the rappers, murders, mercenaries they have been accused of but never brought to trial.. All she needs is the Varinski family icon that should be in this grave. When Rurik removes the treasure chest from the ruins and opens the chest both Rurik and Tasya are holding their breath in expectation, only to come up with jewels but no icon. Both in the early morning light end up back at the dig, unknowingly looking for the same thing for different reasons. While they are working they are prematurely interrupted by… Varinskis. Both Tasya and Rurik think that the Varinskis have finally caught up with them, but when they start setting charges Rurik realizes that they are going to blow the grave site and everything in it, including Rurik and Tasya. While they were running the tunnel caved in on Rurik and Tasya, but by the grace of God, Rurik manages to free them, but now they are on the run. Time, memories, secrets and Varinskis are not on their side and they will probably not escape this alive and with the Icon.

Click here for the rest of my review of this book and the rest of the series