This book was an enjoyable read, however sometimes it felt like it was lacking. Often times it felt like the story only progressed the smallest amount after the characters have their spicy moments each and every time and everything else inbetween sadly felt like filler.
I loved the banter and the characters. However I would have loved more story building and to have felt more weight to the consequences of the MFC interacting with the MMC, even at the 50% mark it still felt like I was being told this epic thing was just around the corner only to be a little disappointed when it was less of the epic drama and more sex scenes and sexual tension which the book already has a lot of.

This book is a contemporary retelling of Hades and Persephone filled with smut scenes, so I'm sure many people would love it for this.
For me, personally, it was a bit much and I would have like the book to have more plot and maybe to talk more about the other gods.
There isn't much to be told. The characters are quite flat and the book was kinda boring at times.

Spoilers: I have to say, I hate cheaters so why make Persephone one? Sure, they are fated to be together and are super attracted to each other, but please, just don't add the human boyfriend or break up before. Also, all that talk about not wanting to do her exactly what her mother did to her and then doing it anyway. There were many ways to avoid this.

All in all, apart from the pretty cover, the book was quite disappointing. I hope the next one will be better.

0.73 stars, rounded up because goodreads won't let you rate anything zero.

"I love high fantasy, and the more complex and political the story is, the more invested I am. I even have a signed copy of Throne of Glass." — said by a grown man. a grown man who is at least 4000 years old. a grown man who is hades, god of the dead. am i perhaps meant to take this seriously??

and then we have:
“Are you my good girl?”
“You are my puppet. My little doll.”
She nods. “Your little doll.”
et cetera, et cetera.

i genuinely want to know the target audience for this because with that dialogue, it can't be anyone who has graduated middle school. and this entire book is just sex scenes, no plot, so it can't actually be geared towards twelve year olds.

moving on to characterization. there is none. think of any random traumatized, rich, secretive wattpad male. there is a 99% chance you've discovered hades' twin. persephone is basically any dark romance girl who's portrayed as a confident bad bitch but is obviously a submissive in bed.

there was no romantic development, no plot development, no character development throughout this two-person orgy. it's just instalust. they don't know anything about each other. i, as a reader, don't know anything about them. neither of them have a single personality trait that wasn't copied and pasted from a rina kent book.

and the titles. persephone's ludicrous monikers, specifically, pissed me off so much. i am not one of those submission is empowering feminists or whatever you people have going on, so the idea of this persephone, the one getting off on sexual degradation and being called a dirty slut, the one calling herself hades' doll, is the same vicious iron lady hecate is bowing down to appears downright insane. the only things persephone is scaring are maybe the chambermaid like?? either make your persephone the dom, or don't make her the evil scary queen of the dead.

this book was obviously not written for me, and i would have hated it less had i been told this jenna rose knockoff was, well, a jenna rose knockoff. but the blurb, the tags—no mention of erotica anywhere when this is solely erotica, the fact that this is 400 pages long, all led me to assume this was a romantasy like any other. unfortunately for my eyes, here we are.

i received an e-copy from netgalley in exchange for a review.

Was this the best book I've ever read? No. Was it super-fucking-entertaining, and hot, and a bit angsty but not to the point of pain, just enough for it to be worth it? YES.

Thank you to Netgalley the Publisher, of Rose and Star Publishing, LLC, and the authors Alexis Rune, and Jeanette Rose for providing and allowing me to review this book. Which, I'm giving my honest and sincere review.

I was irresistibly drawn to "The Maiden & The Unseen," the Love and Fate series, primarily due to my fascination with Hades and Persephone retellings. This book, penned by the dynamic duo Jeanette Rose & Alexis Rune, promised a fresh take on the timeless myth, and it certainly did not disappoint.
From the very first page, I was enraptured by the lush prose and vivid imagery that Rose and Rune expertly weave throughout the narrative. Their storytelling prowess effortlessly transports readers into a world where ancient gods walk among mortals, and fate hangs in the balance.

One of the aspects that intrigued me most about this book was its promise of spice, and in that regard, it exceeded all expectations. The story is brimming with forbidden romances, divine interventions, and unexpected twists that kept me utterly enthralled from start to finish.

But beyond its captivating plot, "The Maiden & The Unseen" shines in its exploration of profound themes such as love, fate, and sacrifice. As Hades and Persephone navigate the complexities of their relationship amidst the chaos of the mortal world, their journey is as tumultuous as it is tender, leaving a lasting impact on the reader.

What truly sets this book apart, however, is its seamless integration of mythology with modern-day elements. Whether it's Hades embracing his role as the "glorified babysitter" or Persephone navigating the intricacies of social media, the story feels both timeless and relevant.

In conclusion, "The Maiden & The Unseen" is a masterfully crafted tale that will captivate fans of Hades and Persephone retellings alike. With its enchanting prose, compelling characters, and steamy romance, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking an unforgettable literary experience. I eagerly await the next installment in the Love and Fate series, eager to embark on another spellbinding journey with these captivating characters.

Amazing banter! Even if the world building or character building itself doesnt do it for you, the banter will. A Hades and Persephone re telling. and THE SPICE. This may be too much for some readers, not enough for others. I thought it was great! The turning points in this book were amazing!

This was probably the spiciest Hades and Persephone retelling I have read. It was interesting having the two of them portrayed in a way where I almost felt like Hades was the more innocent one of the two. It was a fun read, although I did get a bit frustrated at times with how unconfident both of them could be. I have so many questions about "Jackson," so I am hoping those are answered later in the series.

The Maiden & The Unseen is the first book in the Love and Fate series, a Hades and Persephone retelling. So while I enjoy so me spice this book was so much spice that I don't think there was even a plot. If you want more of a plot with a Hades and Persephone retelling go read A Touch of Darkness and maybe there in is my problem because I just finished that book a month ago and keep comparing the two. While I enjoyed Hades the most out of the duel POV in this book I don't think it made up for Persephone's badass woman one min to a whiny whiny pants the next,it gave me whiplash.

Since I received all three books from NetGalley I felt like I needed to read all three books. If I wasn't given this to review I probably would have DNF's after this one and not read the next two. So on to the next book I go.

If you love a good Hades and Persephone re-telling with LOTS of spice, this one's for you!!! I didn't want to put it down and I could not wait to start the next book.

The book follows the pretty classic plot, but set in modern New York City. Hades is the head of a major financial company and is charge of bank rolling and, as he puts it, baby-sitting the other gods in the mortal world. When he discovers that one of them may be trying to slip their leash, it leads him to Persephone and he basically forces her to start working for him to keep an eye on her. Little does he know that she might be the subject of the centuries old prophecy that he's long been warry of.

The banter is witty, and the spice is hot almost from the get-go. I really enjoyed the tension between Hades and Persephone, and I liked that they didn't immediately love (or even like each other). My only major criticism is that the whole book if rife with the miscommunication trope, which is a personal pet peeve.

This is a Persephone and hades retelling in a modern world. It was a fun quick read. Read it all in a night!

Was it great? No could’ve used more plot but it was entertaining. I wasn’t expecting so much smut but it also showed their obsession with eachother. I didn’t enjoy the cheating trope, that could’ve been done away with and wouldn’t have affected the story.



3.5-4⭐️ since it was entertaining

"The Maiden and the Unseen" is a modern story of the classic myth, Persephone and Hades. It's a captivating story with its vivid spicy descriptions.

There's just something so magical and romantic about the legend of Hades and Persephone that calls to so many although admittedly its a bit tragic too. I frequently see authors such as Katee Robert and Scarlet St. Clair inspired to create their own versions so was immediately drawn to this new to me authors book. I really liked that Persephone was completely in the dark ( no pun intended ) about Hades and his ahem real job as it added a very different dimension to the story. Alas for me the romance was sadly missing and it felt too much about lust and control. I quite liked the side characters as they made me remember the origin story more but this wasn't a perfect read for me sadly.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

The Maiden and The Unseen is a modern Hades and Persephone retelling with a twist. Set in NYC, Hades is a business mogul while Persephone is living life like a mortal. That is until their paths cross.

This is a STEAMY book about not only finding love but finding yourself in the process. The spice was immaculate for me and the art was an amazing addition.

This gets a solid 4.5 from me. Could have easily been a 5 if the inner monologue was changed (if I read “lies” one more time I was going to throw my kindle). And the miscommunication….you guys are hundreds if not thousands of years old, learn how to talk to each other.

Also, there are 2 authors and i would have never guessed, their voices are so cohesive. Overall a great read and I am already on to book 2!

Thank you NetGalley and Rose & Star Publishing for an arc in exchange for my honest feedback. All opinions are my own.

This book had been floating around my TBR for a while, so when I saw it was available, I decided it was time.

The first part of this book is so funny and spicy. Basically, Hades x Persephone x contemporary romance. I love the idea of the gods wanting to go out and mingle and even have jobs. I really enjoyed how other gods were worked into the story. The third act conflict felt like it dragged a bit, but I can't wait to see what will happen after that ending!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an egalley of this book for an honest review.

I'm sad that this is the first title I'm reviewing on my NetGalley venture, but here we are.

I could not for the life of me tell you what the plot was to this story. It had promise to build a good plotline but was cut short by smut being thrown in left and right. Don't get me wrong, I love me some spice, but this just got repetitive to the point I found myself skimming over just to be done with it. And the endless miscommunication made me want to scream into my Kindle.

Overall, it felt like this was a retelling of existing retellings but done badly. I was drawn in by the pretty cover and my love for Hades and Persephone, but was sorely disappointed. Would not bother with the rest of the series.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc.

As an avid fan of the timeless tale of Hades and Persephone, I'm always eager to dive into any retelling or reimagining of their story. So naturally, when I stumbled upon this book, I was immediately intrigued. The modern-day setting provided a refreshing twist to the classic myth, and I found myself drawn into the world the author had created.

The chemistry between the characters crackled with intensity, and the steamy moments left me eagerly turning the pages for more. However, despite the undeniable heat between them, I couldn't shake the feeling that their relationship could have been fleshed out more. It felt like there were layers to their connection that remained unexplored, leaving me yearning for a deeper dive into their emotional bond.

That being said, I still found the book to be an interesting and enjoyable read. The modern-day adaptation brought a fresh perspective to the timeless tale, and the author's skillful storytelling kept me engaged from start to finish. While I may have wished for a bit more depth in certain areas, overall, I was captivated by the chemistry and allure of Hades and Persephone's tumultuous romance.

I received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

So disappointing! I was so looking forward to this book when I read the blurb. I am a huge fan of Hades and Persephone romances and the idea of it being set in modern day was really interesting. Unfortunately, the characters and the plot fell short. Persephone was flighty and annoying. Hades was also flighty and bossy. Persephone for some reason would not break up with a guy she had no interest in and Hades would claim they wouldn’t be anything until she was single only to turn around and show up at her house to make out with her. It was so frustrating. I’m really disappointed because I requested the rest of the series and now have no desire to read them.

I loved this book so much that I asked my husband to listen to it, and bought him the audio book. He fell in love with it as well. I absolutely can't wait to read the rest of this series.
I compare all Hades and Persephone books to this book now, and so far, none compare.
This take on Hades and Persephone keeps you hooked the entire time.
It makes you fall in love and hate the characters the whole time.
The FMC is a baddie and I would follow her into the ends of the earth if I were Hades 😂
And Hades, holy gods…. He is the perfect MMC.
It’s spicy, and amazing.

Its a Hades and Persephone retelling with lots of spice. While there isn't a ton to the plot and the characters were a bit bland, the smut factor was there. If you want a quick read with some spice, this is a decent pick.

I will be honest, I don't often read a lot of smutty romances, I prefer them in small doses.
That said, I do enjoy retellings, and this is a modern retelling of Hades and Persephone.

I quite liked this book, although I felt at times, it was more about the sex and passion between Hades and Persephone, than about the actual storyline, At times, it came across as a bit repetitive, I was intrigued about Persephone's upbringing, and was keen to learn more about the way her mother (Demeter) raised and treated her.

Overall, I didn't mind the book, and I enjoyed it enough to continue the series :)