"𝙎𝙝𝙚'𝙨 𝙖 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙚𝙣. 𝙈𝙮 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙚𝙣. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙚, 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙨𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙙𝙡𝙮 𝙗𝙮 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙨."

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

The Maiden and The Unseen is the first book in Love & Fate series. The title itself resembles the main character of the book, Persephone—the once isolated goddess of spring who now lives in between mortals with some terribly strict rules to obey, and Hades—the ruler of the underworld, king of the dead who got hold on the two realms of both the living and the dead.

Their life collided when Persephone suddenly ran out of money and the only way to get her funds back is to face and made an agreement with Hades, another wicked god she doesn't know ever exists. And who knows that fate had something more than a mere business encounter for them.

I was sceptical when it comes to greek mythology retelling that the writing and the whole idea of god and goddesses would be overwhelming, but this one was totally accessable. We've given the crucial information about the divines like their ability or their origin in a simple way so if you're new into greek mythology it's totally fine to read this book.

Personally i have divided feeling for the first and the second hald of the book. The first half of the book is totally binge-worthy since we can't help but to immerse in the tension in their every encounter. I kinda struggle on the second half by how fast the FMC change her mind about the MMC and i just can't with that part. Also the reason why Hades kept the fate from Persephone, what i got is that once he figured the fate that he couldn't change but there wasn't saying that he couldn't spit it out loud? This part got me kinda confused.

But you know what? The ending got me hooked into the story again and i'm looking forward how their journey in the underworld will went in the next installment, The Mistress and The Renowned!

So, if you're looking for:
- Slowburn
- Forced proximity
- Wicked and powerful MMC
- Independent, rebellious FMC
- Fated mate
I recommend you to read this book!

Who doesn’t love a good hades & Persephone retelling!? This was so entertaining, spicy HOT, I enjoyed that this was set in the human world as well which you don’t see too often.

3.5⭐️

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review of the book. I want to thank the authors as well as NetGalley for sending me this book.
This is a retelling of Hades and Persephone. I think this book was well written, maybe a bit repetitive at times, and very descriptive. It is definitely full of spice and lots of passion.
I would have liked to have had more plot and a bit less smut. This is a standalone book, with a cliffhanger ending!

Thank you Net Galley and publishers for letting me read this arc in return for an honest review.

I have read so many different Hades and Persephone retellings that when a new one comes out, it's an automatic read for me. I just love them all and this one is no exception. If you want a book that's all spice and very little plot, then this one is for you. I was not expecting how fast they got into each other's pants. It was an instant attraction based on nothing but lust. And the photos thrown throughout this book of certain scenes threw me off in a good way. Wasn't expecting that but it was fun. The very little plot that does go on, I'm interested to see how the story progresses in the 2nd and 3rd books. How will she step into her queen of the dark role and will he escape his prison he's trapped in? One thing I didn't like about this book was the miscommunication from both of them. I hate how this is becoming a popular trope. I get that he can't say anything about his curse but all of their other problems could be solved if they just communicated with each other. It was super annoying, like why don't you trust me, do you not want me, why are you upset? Other than that, I loved all of the spice and I really like Mellie, goddess of nightmares. I hope she returns in the second book.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc!
I have seen this book floating around for a little little bit, and I am so excited that I received a copy to read and review. This is such a unique premise with the Greek gods not only mingling but having whole lives. This is definitely a book to read if you were looking for some thing very spicy and fun! This is not First slow burn or drawn out romance readers. There is a bit of an Insta lust component and the connection between Persephone and Hades’s pick up right away.
Overall, I enjoyed it and think it was a fun spicy read!

2.5 rounded down to 2
Not a bad book but I would only recommend it if you are really, really into Hades and Persephonie retellings. This book was like A Touch of Darkness meets Gossip Girl. Fun but not very deep. More focused on the spice than plot and not terribly original.

AGAIN with the miscommunication. Why is this a new trope? I understand it right at the beginning of a relationship when you're trying to figure it out but help me out. This was a decent novel with an interesting plot but I couldn't handle that it was far too long.

At first he book starts out a bit like "Hi, I'm the plumber." porn between Persephone and Hades. What I mean by that is they barley meet and they are together quite quickly. Their love and relationship progresses in an interesting way. The end I did not expect. It definitely left you hanging going WTF!! So now I have to read the next one.

Overall it is a fun quick read with lots of internal dialog and termoile about what step to take next in their crazy fated love!! I did enjoy the back and forth between their POV. On a spicy level I would give it a 4 to 5 pepper.

The description intrigued me: A Greek mythology set in the modern world; the writing here flowed easily and kept me entertained, but be aware that it is full of explicit scenes that almost, if not entirely, overshadowed the story.

I wished we had a little prologue to see how they lived before arriving on Earth and interacting with Humans, but there wasn’t.

The plot/characters could be handled better. One minute, you are reading about adults. Still, sometimes they behave so immaturely that you forget their Divine beings, which I realized happens in most books recently, fantasy creatures turning into boring replicas of mundane human beings to humanize them. What is fantastic about that? I don’t want to read about ordinary people with everyday issues.

I went into it without knowing that this was the first in a series, and it ended up on a cliffhanger; I am still debating if I will pick up the next book, “The Mistress & the Renowned.”

As someone who enjoys Hades and Persephone retellings and a good amount of spice, this book was a nice read with a decent writing style and insight. At the same time, I do like accuracy and I really need to be in the mood for more modern retellings. The extremely teenager like use of language isn't exactly for me. Apart from this, I do like how they kept a lot of traits attributed to the characters in mythology.
Overall, it's not the most groundbreaking book I've ever read but if you like modern retellings and a lot of smut, this one is for you.

I liked this book but it was to spicy for me! I liked the story and the characters and enjoyed the main story but flew over a lot of the spicy parts because for me they weren't really necessary to the story! nevertheless I´m excited to see the story continue and will read the other books in this series to see how the story progresses! i would love to see more of millie in the future and the relationship of the two get deeper!
I would recommend it if you like a mythological fantasy with a lot of spice!

(thank you netgalley for this arc-copy!)

PAUSED. NOT A DNF

———

I’m currently on chapter 47 (yes, really. And I’m only 65% through it) and I feel since chapter 30 I’ve just been reading for the sake of reading.

I wanted to try something different, I’ve read Hades x Persephone stories before and thought I’ll give it a go. But …

It’s going on a bit.

And the fact that 65% of the way through and they’ve only *just* got together… they’re gonna fall out. Third act break up, I can see it. And then pulled back together. Magically.

I don’t know why I’m just not pulled in by the characters at all. I’m LOVING Mellie. She seems to be the only character I like. Which, once you read it and found out who she is, is a little concerning.

Persephone, the goddess of spring. Hidden away by her mother… alright Rapunzel. No one knows why. And no one seems to be telling us why.

When Jackson is caught cheating, I feel like that was just thrown in there so we hated the character. It didn’t seem right. Was there really any need? Nope.

The spice was… ok. It’s spicy. Like two 🌶️🌶️ spicy.

I will come back to this at some point, I promise.

One of the better Hades & Persephone retellings I’ve read. However, if you are looking for something that stays true to the original story, it may not be for you. It’s also quite spice-heavy.

Spicy gods. Yes please !
Hades.
The middle child.
The baby sitter of gods
The forgotten.
Hades is in charger of the gods that want to “give it a go living among the mortal” because last time they were all left alone to their own it was literally chaos. When one god thinks they can slip past him unknown hades has no choice but to put his food drone!

Persephone just want to be away from mummy dears, the ridiculous rule are even worth it!
1. Never mix with other gods
2. No men ( ok mum )
3 every 6 months a check in to make sure she’s behaving.


Honestly these 2 are draw together like fire, but one of my fav relationships in this book is definitely Millie and persephones , they are a cute , funny and supportive relationship.

The only thing that didn’t gel with me in this book, is the self referring “that would be good,
No P it wouldn’t lies”

I don’t like how the MC continues to refer to herself as p and the over use of “lies”

Ebook received for an honest review.

A spicy take on Hades and Persephone, if they met on earth, lived amongst humans, whilst avoiding detection, but cannot seem to avoid each other.

Hades has been visiting earth for enough time to establish his own bank and save enough, that when the other Greek gods come to earth, they receive a very generous living stipend from him. Which also helps him to keep tabs on who's visiting, until he notices someone who's evading him and so the search begins.

Persephone moved to earth to escape her confined life on Olympus, throwing herself into work, until her funds are cut off prompting her to search for the God who's in charge of all their bank accounts.

The characters were fun. Hades being the boss with an endearing side and Persephone as a confident woman, who's trying to figure out life by herself, whilst knowing she's been sheltered.

The set up of the Greek pantheon on earth was really interesting, but I did find myself wishing the other characters featured more, around 3/4 of the way through the book.

Which was where the focus was on the main characters and the plot had slowed down a bit, however, enough seeds have been sown in this book, to leave a reader wanting to know how things proceed between the characters in the sequel, especially with the involvement of side characters.

I love the story of Hades and Persephone and this retelling was one of my favorites for the year. I enjoyed this authors take on this story and can’t wait to read more work by her.

As an avid reader of mythology retellings, Alexis Rune's "The Maiden and The Unseen" immediately piqued my interest. Its premise – a contemporary take on the Hades and Persephone myth with gods walking anonymously among mortals – offered a refreshingly unique perspective.

The novel excels at capturing the essence of the classic tale. Familiar themes of destiny, forbidden love, and the struggle for autonomy resonate throughout the story. Persephone's yearning for independence from her controlling mother felt particularly relatable, making her a compelling protagonist. Her connection with the enigmatic Hades – a billionaire shrouded in mystery – is undeniable, fueled by a potent mix of attraction and a sense of fated connection.

The modernization of the myth is undeniably clever with well-developed central characters. Both Persephone and Hades grapple with internal conflicts that enrich their personalities and fuel the emotional core of the story. Their burgeoning romance is both passionate and forbidden, adding a captivating layer to the narrative.

"The Maiden and The Unseen" is a compelling retelling that breathes new life into a familiar myth. It's a testament to Rune's talent that she manages to weave a fresh and captivating narrative from well-trodden mythological ground.

I would say this was like a 3.75-star read for me. It is a Hades and Persephone retelling. I honestly try to stay away from retellings like this because they usually disappoint but the cover and blurb sort of drew me in.

I feel like lately a lot of books, including this one lose points in my book because the "adult" characters talk like children. This book felt like it was trying too hard and had a lot of Gen Z talk. It was also very character-driven and not plot-driven. I am all for smut and books being heavily character-driven but there needs to be some plot. This book did not feel like that. There were A LOT of spicy scenes

It is hard for me to connect with retellings and them being adapted to current society, etc. It also did not need to be that long, I really only enjoy long books if it is epic fantasy. I am hoping a sequel could add more to the plot.

I like reading smut but this book just wasn’t for me. I was so bored that I had to force myself to read .
I just can’t recommend this one at all .

Got to read this book for free with NetGalley and truly enjoyed it. It is defiantly a spicier read and the cliffhanger in the end had me going right for book 2. I can’t wait to read more from the authors and finish out the series!