Sneak Peek: Sweet Obsession by Katee Robert

**ON OUR BOOKSHELF**

*Sweet Obsession*
by Katee Robert
A pre-release preview of the eighth installment of the Dark Olympus series featuring Poseidon and Icarus.

Speaking of sweet obsessions…. I’m obsessed with the Dark Olympus series. I was introduced to Katee Robert through her A Touch of Taboo series (Amazon) and very quickly devoured her entire oeuvre… okay, maybe not all considering she truly is the Queen and has an insane body of work. But, I’ve read a lot and the Dark Olympus series certainly fed my addiction and led me down a mythological retellings / erotica rabbit hole.

I mean when a series kicks off with a captor/captive romance with a mutually beneficial agenda that results in the discovery of a public intimacy kink, how does one not become intrigued? And if I piqued your interest with that, you should definitely add Neon Gods (Amazon) to your list for Book #1 of this series featuring Hades and Persephone. On that note, I recommend reading this series in order as a lot of backstory and politicking happens in the earlier books of the series that sets up Book #8!

Grateful to have received an advanced reader’s copy of Sweet Obsession via NetGalley!

The Sneak Peek

Olympus is running out of time. Circe has taken down the barrier and lies in wait along the shore. And as Olympus’ first line of defense, Poseidon is feeling the pressure as one of the Thirteen to defend the city and its people. His best chance of success? Learning everything he can from his captive— Icarus— whose father helped Circe get this far in her offense.

Unfortunately for Poseidon, Icarus was the disappointment, the son his father never wanted, or at least was not proud of… so much so he almost shot him, if it wasn’t for Icarus’ sister, who killed her father to protect Icarus. And now that he’s being held a prisoner by Poseidon, he’ll do whatever it takes to stay under his protection. Even if that means seducing him and using his well-honed bedroom skills to his advantage to bring Poseidon to his knees.

But as the two spend more and more time together (and the clock keeps ticking down), will other barriers fall between them? It seems like Icarus’ plan might backfire when he quickly finds himself falling for Poseidon. Or maybe, his plan is working too well, because Poseidon might be right there with him.

What Victoria Loved

VICTORIA’S RATING: 3.5/5

I was pleasantly surprised by Poseidon and Icarus. For the majority of the series they’ve been rather peripheral characters with minimal mentions or cameos until the very end of the last book — not unexpected as we’ve been working our way through the Thirteen, but they are definitely not what I was expecting.

Let’s start with Poseidon, who has a rather ruthless reputation. He has no time for the frivolity of the Thirteen, or their power grab. All he cares about is making sure his people are safe and taken care of. But all that pressure, especially now that danger is looming, has made him realize that he needs an escape — time to clear his mind and not have to make decisions, but just be. And when Icarus ends up in his care, the son of Olympus’ enemy, Poseidon is drawn to him in a way he’s never previously experienced. What I love the most about his character is the complete 180 between Poseidon’s public and private personas — strong and powerful vs. beautifully submissive — while leading with his vulnerable heart at all times. As Icarus says, he really is just too good. He’s too perfect of a man for Olympus, yet so damaged that he struggles to see just how wonderful he is. The contrast between his size and his personality is the most thoughtful balance and a wonderful demonstration of vulnerability.

And then there’s Icarus, who has been denied by his father and sidelined for so much of his life that he doesn’t understand his worth. His character has been presented as shallow, incapable, and reclusive… unless in the context of sex and partying. Well, then he’s the life of the party. But he’s the opposite, isn’t he? He’s warm, thoughtful, loves deeply (only those who he deems worthy), and he’s protective and considerate. He’s been dealt a terrible hand with his parentage, but he’s done what he’s had to do to survive… including putting up a barrier to guard his heart. But his ability to see Poseidon and who he is, down to reading his nervous ticks, speaks to his character.

Yes, this timeline is fast and they fall for each other rather quickly. But when the world is going to chaos, you grab those you love and hold on tight. I think these characters have seen and experienced so much that their ability to trust and feel safe speaks volumes of the other person. While I don’t read this series for the character development (it’s the spice and the need to know what happens to the Thirteen), I do really love these two. There’s a cozy intimacy, safety between them. And in the chaos of the city that’s crumbling around them, politically and literally, it’s all you can do to wish they could live in a little bubble away from the turmoil and just enjoy getting to know each other.

What I like about Katee is that she lets her characters be selfish when it comes to love. There’s no settling or giving up what it is you really want. More often than not, her characters do the right thing even if it’s also the hard thing, and then they choose themselves. It’s nice that in this chaotic world we live in, she reminds us that we can have both, and I feel like people don’t always do that. Priorities can shift and it’s totally okay that they do - they should. Greed doesn’t have to be focused on money and power. And it doesn’t have to come at a detriment to other people. It can be just choosing happiness for yourself and that can mean finding alternative solutions to make it work for everyone. Because everyone deserves their HEA.

That said, I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of this series — I really need to get the Zeus-Hera story already… especially after this book!

Pre-order your copy of Sweet Obsession (Amazon) and read with me!

Favorite Scene

“He’s not mine— he can’t be mine — but in this moment, I can almost see a different world, a different set of circumstances, where he could be.”

- SWEET OBSESSION by Katee Robert

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Trigger Warning: References to past assault that may be disturbing and pretty brutal behavior from the MMCs! Slow burn, but high heat — spicy MM | MMMMM throughout the whole series, but our FMC gets some action too. Lilah wasn’t exactly captured, but she does become captive. She’s emotionally brutalized, ignored and isolated in a moldy basement. Lola creates an incredible sensory experience that will have you aching to your bones living through Lilah’s perspective. And it’s Lola’s strength and resilience that makes this duology worth the struggle.
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BY THE AUTHOR:
- Neon Gods (Dark Olympus #1) by Katee Robert (Amazon)
  If Greek mythology was this naughty, I would’ve been way more intrigued by my high school syllabus. This Hades and Persephone romance was my entry into retellings and led me down the romantasy rabbit hole. I’m not ashamed to admit I absolutely devoured this series. If you’re one to judge a book by its cover (and I admit, I overlooked this book for YEARS because I was very confused by the cover and the title), you’ll be in for a surprise because the cover art gives absolutely nothing away. Although, I’ll say the throne was a fantastic choice for a cover photo.
  VICTORIA’S RATING: 3/5
- Your Dad Will Do (A Touch of Taboo #2) by Katee Robert (Amazon)
  If there’s anything Katee is known for, it’s fire-burning taboo romance. This short story is exactly that… and I kind of wish it wasn’t just a short. But if you’re looking for a snack, you’ll certainly be satisfied with this series.
  VICTORIA’S RATING: 3.5/5