The Maiden & the Unseen by Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune had me pleasantly surprised! Going in, I wasn't sure if it would be my thing, especially since it's not my usual fare of dark romance, but boy, did it prove me wrong.

⚡️ What sets this book apart is its refreshing take on Greek mythology. From the get-go, I found myself drawn into a world where gods navigate the complexities of modern life with humor and charm. The dynamic between Hades and Persephone, especially, kept me thoroughly entertained from start to finish.

🌱 Amidst the humor, there's also a poignant exploration of fate and destiny. As Hades and Persephone navigate their unconventional relationship, they must confront their own desires and the meddling of other gods. It's a journey filled with laughter, heart, and a healthy dose of "bitch please" attitude.

🔥 What I appreciated most about this book was its ability to blend humor with heart. Yes, there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, but there are also tender scenes that added depth to the story. Hades and Persephone's relationship felt authentic and nuanced, making their journey all the more captivating.

📚 In conclusion, The Maiden & the Unseen exceeded my expectations and left me eagerly anticipating more. Whether you're a mythology enthusiast or simply looking for an entertaining read, this book delivers on all fronts.

This was an absolute stunning read. I'd been in a bit of a reading funk until I chose to read this and I was not disappointed. I didn't put it down until I'd read the very last page!

The way the relationship developed between Hades and Persephone was phenomenal. The passion and desire between the two characters would have any happily married person jealous. They have such a beautiful and fiery connection.

The way the story is written is flawless and so descriptive. Reading the scenes was like being transported to the place itself.
The characters had their own individual personalities, so It wasn't like reading the same book over and over again.

I'd highly reccomend this book to whoever would listen to me.

To start with the good, I appreciate that Persephone wasn't a literal teenager or young adult among millennia old gods.
Now for the rest...
This story resembles other contemporary Hades/Persephone retellings (like „Lore Olympus” and „A Touch of Darkness”) far more than it does the Greek myth it is supposed to be based on, and as a great Greek mythology enthusiast who is interested in the actual mythological figures rather than what pop culture has made of them, reading this was not a very pleasant experience. I feel that this didn't need to be a retelling, it could easily have been a regular contemporary fantasy novel and all it would have taken is different names for the characters.
But even ignoring the Greek mythology elements which is surprisingly easy, I found the romance unconvincing (given that 90% of the time the two are thinking about sleeping with each other or actually doing so rather than connecting in any other meaningful way), the characters rather immature and one-note, and the plot so repetitive that I must admit I skimmed through a large portion of it.
Not for me at all, for sure, but doubtlessly many other readers love it.

The maiden and the unseen by Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune.
Love and Fate Book 1.
Zeus has finally decreed that the gods may leave Olympus and mingle - anonymously - with the mortals of the present. With zero warning or waiting for him to consent to this arrangement, Hades is placed in charge of not only helping the gods assimilate but also financing them. Unlike the other gods, Hades never withdrew from the mortal world. Instead he spent six months of every year among them, building a fortune befitting one of his many names. As long as the gods follow his strict rules for living among mortals, they have access to a generous monthly stipend. Break the rules, lose the privileges. No allowances. Ever.
I really did enjoy this book. I loved the cover. That's what drew me to this book. I did like the illustrations in the book. Hot and dirty. I did love this retelling of hades the best. I got into it straight away. I did love how Persephone and Hades were together. The texts. Also how Jackson was. I can't wait for the next book. 4*.

4 star read from me. I recommend everyone this book. So so good. I loved it so much! The story line and plot was lovely.

I just reviewed The Maiden & The Unseen by Jeanette Rose & Alexis Rune / I absolutely devoured this in a few hours unable to tear my eyes from the pages.

I love Hades & Persephone re-tellings & Rose and Rune just knocked it put of the park with a perfect mix of mythology in a modern setting,

Would absolutely recommend

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this title for an honest review.

The Maiden & The Unseen is a super spicy retelling of the Hades and Persephone love story. I loved almost everything about this!! I highly recommend.

I have rated this story 4 stars due to the lack of plot (Yes, this is pure smut) however I do think that this series could be a 5-star series. I will be reading the rest and I'm hopeful for the potential.

What a fun and spicy Hades & Persephone retelling! This ends on a cliffhanger so I am beyond grateful to have the entire trilogy to read and cannot wait to begin book 2!

I am absolutely devastated that the first review I'm writing in NetGalley has to be a DNF at 70%. I just could not for the life of me care enough to continue. The lack of character development, world building or honestly just lack of plot, made me want to DNF already at 30% but I wanted to see if it got better... it didn't. The spicy scenes were just being thrown left and right without context or reason. So I'm sorry to say this was a no for me.

I absolutely ADORE retellings, especially Hades and Persephone and this one DID NOT DISAPPOINT.
One of the best parts of the book was seeing the Gods as they would be in present day, it was an interesting take.
This book did make me blush!

Oh brother.

I previously said in my other reviews that I don't DNF unless there's something in the book that really bothers me or is problematic overall, so I read this from cover to cover (ebook style).

It was horrendous.

You can tell from my username. I adore Hades and Persephone and have read (to my knowledge) almost all retellings under heaven. This has got to be in my top 3 never read again list.

First, Hades is the god of wealth, but everytime he opens his mouth I hear a whining teenage girl. Every move he makes is supposed to be calculated but it's either A.) supposed to inconvenience Persephone and B.) just petty.

He can turn mute and the book will gain another star

Persephone is cringe personified. The first chapter we're introduced to her she's looking out her 16th story window of a classy apartment whilst "groaning inwardly" about emails and clingy clients. All the while, she's having an inner monologue of her life (wattpad style) and loathing the fact all these luxuries are wasted on her because... Beats me. She rambles too much.

Their relationship is just bang --> drama ensues --> make up bang ---> drama ensues ---> make up bang infinity

There's little to no plot. I don't mind spice but then it becomes repetitive the 3rd time around and the plot is nowhere to be seen. I'm dreading the 2nd book.

Thank you Netgalley and Rose and Star publishing for the ARC.

Thank you so much for the arc copy.

So I really enjoyed this book. I absolutely adored the inner monologue of Hades! The plot had a few holes but I still enjoyed the book. The smut was awesome, The enemies to lovers, betrayal, and controlling mother were written pretty well!

so, i knew within the first few pages when hades - the immortal god - said the words “bitch, please” that this was not going to be a book i should take too seriously. and after a little while longer, i succeeded in (not) doing so, which actually made it a whole lot more enjoyable! the maiden and the unseen reads exactly like something i would have read on wattpad in like 2013 and loved. both main characters read like teenagers (frustrating at times but we move), there’s quite a bit of repetition (not just of phrases, most of hades and persephone’s fights are about the same thing), and it’s all just very predictable (the boyfriend is actually a villain… kind of).

the main issue i did have is that this does not read like something written by or for adults. but as someone who loved books written by teenagers on wattpad back in the day, this was not actually a big issue for me. it felt really nostalgic to be honest, and i had a lot of fun rolling my eyes at it! i laughed out loud at things intended to make me laugh, and things i’m pretty sure were not intended to, on multiple occasions so can’t complain about that! though i will say there were times the references and things that hades in particular said, felt quite out of place and it could be a little jarring (see again; “bitch, please”).

hades and persephone’s main relationship issue was a lack of communication, whether this be by not communicating something at all, or through misunderstandings. a classic hallmark of wattpad romance circa. 2013. again this got frustrating - especially near the end - when it was the same problem again and again and again, and i think this book could easily have been shorter to combat that repetition and make it a smoother read.

i liked seeing persephone’s confidence develop through the book, and i’m really hoping her character continues in that direction in the sequel. on the other hand hades didn’t seem to learn or grow much, and he was kind of whiny and pathetic at times. don’t get me wrong, an mmc being pathetic for the fmc can really work, but the execution wasn’t quite always there in this case.

anyway! i did enjoy this, it was like a reality show that i know is probably rotting my brain, but i can’t stop watching it either. it was fun and spicy, and i’m feeling pretty excited to start the mistress & the renowned to see how the plot pans out after the end of this book!

ps: also crossing my fingers for some more mellie and helios content in there somewhere…

So much smut… I am an avid lover of Hades and Persephone so this book was an instant yes, I want all the retellings. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be picking up the sequels. Devoured this, and can’t wait to read more

This book is too much smut even for an erotica. It could have done more world building and made the characters more 3 dimensional than just focusing on the p*rn. I DNFed at around 40% mark.

This book offers a hilarious twist on the classic myth of Hades and Persephone, bringing the gods into the modern world with uproarious results. Hades, known as the God of the Dead and King of the Underworld, finds himself tasked with a new role: the glorified babysitter of the gods as they mingle among mortals. With his strict rules and responsibilities, Hades is far from amused by his newfound duties.

Meanwhile, Persephone, the Goddess of Spring, embraces her freedom among mortals, navigating the modern world with wit and charm. However, her carefully laid plans are thrown into disarray when Fate intervenes, entangling her with Hades in a twist of destiny. As they resist the pull of Fate's threads, sparks fly between the unlikely pair, leading to a delightful and unexpected romance.

Authors' clever storytelling and sharp wit shine in this rom-com filled with gods, mortals, and the chaotic intersection of the two worlds. Fans of mythology will delight in the modernized take on Hades and Persephone's tale, while romance enthusiasts will be swept away by the budding relationship between the unlikely duo.

I like the witty and fresh approach to the Hades and Persephone myth, with Hades as the reluctant babysitter and Persephone as the savvy social media manager. The comedic elements add a delightful charm to the story, making it a fun and entertaining read from start to finish.

I think this had a lot of good ideas that were just executed poorly. Hades and Persephone are always excellent to write about, but this just was not doing it for me. Both characters’ REPEATED miscommunications got annoying after a while, and while the smut was abundant, it wasn’t very creative. This whole novel could have been used as the script for a bad porno. It’s great that Hades and Persephone are thirsty as hell for each other, but when there’s no build up or tension it becomes monotonous to read.

The way that I devoured this book and cannot wait to begin the next. Thankfully I have it already loaded because WHAT. A. CLIFFY!

I am as obsessed with Mellie and Helios as I am with Hades & Persephone!

ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS!!!

I am a sucker for retellings, especially the story of Hades and Persephone. I thoroughly enjoyed this read. The spice was spicy, and I love the creative liberties taken with this particular retelling. If you are a stickler for Greek myths and accurate retellings, then this might not be the book(s) for you. I live for fictional drama, and this book had some drama, but it mostly set up the next books in the series, which I can't wait to get to!

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Maiden and the Unseen by Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune is a dual-POV retelling of Persephone and Hades meets billionaire romances. When Persephone’s bank accounts are drained, she confronts Hades, the god in charge of all of the other gods’ finances. Hades offers her a job as a social media expert at his company, setting off a high steam office romance with the fated mates trope.

The novel uses the idea that Persephone and Hades were foretold by the Fates and that Persephone is the true ruler of the Underworld. I’m a big fan of that aspect in recent retellings and have enjoyed it in every iteration including in this one. Hades and Persephone sometimes use their magic in order to tease each other, with Hades having shadow magic and Persephone using vines.

When they first meet, Hades is terrified to learn that she is a Goddess of Spring because of the prophecy. Persephone, however, is somewhat attached to someone else. She’s casually dating a young man who calls himself her boyfriend despite her insistence that it is not that serious. Even with her guilty conscience, Persephone can’t resist Hades when he’s around, especially in the office.

One feature of Persephone’s POV chapters occasionally features her thoughts saying ‘lie’ when she’s trying to fool herself or deny her attraction to Hades. There’s also a lot of mentions of HR and how it’s a workplace romance where Hades is Persephone’s boss.

I would recommend this to readers looking for a Persephone and Hades retelling that places emphasis on steamier bits and those who are comfortable with BDSM (particularly in the discipline category) in their romance novels and like the fated mates trope.